The Wars of Legends 2 - Bats Rising
by Nameless2210
Summary: [AU] [Femslash!] The red Queen, the spoiled daughter of a wealthy scientist. The blue Queen, the subject of an inhumane experiment. Twins separated at birth but destined to be the mothers of a swarm that would rewrite the fate of the galaxy. This is their story. [X-posted on AO3] [Trigger warnings at the top of each chapter]
1. Massacre at the Zoo

**Disclaimer: I don't own Blood+, Harry Potter or Stargate.**

**The Wars of Legends**

**Book 2: Bats Rising**

**Chapter One: Massacre at the Zoo**

**Beta:  
**

* * *

**Trigger warnings: Mentions of rape, Public nudity, Incestous behavior**

It is the year 1883 and in the rural countryside of France on a expansive country estate called the Zoo there lived Joel Goldschmidt, his spoiled adopted daughter Saya Goldschmidt, and their large staff.

Today was Joel's birthday and his daughter had the perfect present in mind for her beloved father. She was going to get her mysterious friend with the beautiful voice, Diva, to sing for him. Her friend's voice was nothing short of magical and Saya just _knew _that her father would love to hear it.

_I'm so excited! He's going to love it. _Saya thought to herself as she ran towards the tower with the blue roses where her friend lived in a locked room. The young lady didn't know why she was locked up like that but it made arranging for Diva to perform for Joel's birthday so very difficult.

She'd had to sneak into his office and ste- uh- _borrow_ the key to the room. With that task accomplished and the ornate golden key in her possession she was racing across the grounds towards the tower, waving merrily to the many cheerful servants she passed as they put the finishing touches to the preparations for tonight's grand celebration.

_And so am I! Soon Joel will get a chance to be as mesmerized by Diva's voice as I am. _

Though, if Saya was being honest that was just an excuse on her part. The real reason why she wanted to free Diva had to do with the strange pull they felt towards each other. Since her earliest memories, she had felt drawn to Diva's tower though she hadn't known it back then. Even as a little girl she'd always felt a deep longing and desire in the direction where it lay, but it was not until she was a teenager that she'd mustered the courage to follow the strange pull and found its source. And if she was to be believed, Diva was attracted to her in the same way. Saya didn't understand what that meant, but she was hoping that freeing Diva and working with her would allow them to figure it out.

"Saya, there you are!" The familiar voice of her personal manservant, Hagi, said as Saya finally reached the tower. "When you disappeared, I just knew you would be here."

"Well, this is my favorite spot to re-" Saya began only to cut herself off as a heartrendingly perfect voice began singing a wordless melody in welcome.

Lost in Diva's magical song, Saya turned from Hagi and began walking into the tower in a trance. Haji was calling out to her in alarm, but she ignored him and began climbing the stairs within at a run. As she reached the landing at the top of the stairs, he moved to grab her but she absently pushed him aside as she began to hum along to her friend's melody.

Utterly enthralled by Diva's music, she barely noticed as she unlocked the heavy wooden door that kept Diva imprisoned and stepped into the room beyond.

It was only as Diva's voice trailed off that Saya regained a proper awareness of her surroundings. She was in a room straight out of her darkest nightmares of a medieval dungeon. It was utterly spartan with no furniture whatsoever. It's only contents was a chamber pot and a small pile of hay that must have served as a bed. And on that pathetic excuse for bedding was a sight that had Saya taking a step back in horror.

For there was her friend Diva. Saya didn't know how she recognized her despite never seeing her in person, but she did. That was not what caused her to recoil though, neither was the fact that all her features were a perfect replica of her own save for the fact that her irises were blue instead of her own red eyes. No, what so deeply upset her was the fact that her friend was bloody, emaciated and naked!

_How could anyone be treated like this!?_

"Saya, you finally came." Diva said with a smile as she struggled to her feet and took a step towards the still stunned woman, only to falter and collapse back into a exhausted heap.

"Diva!" Saya cried in concern as the sight overcame her shock and she rushed to her friend's side.

As she knelt down next to Diva, the other girl grabbed hold of her in a sudden burst of strength. Startled, Saya could not react in time as she was pulled into a bloody kiss.

The moment Diva's blood touched her lips Saya began feeling strange. In an instant, she felt a large portion of her strength flow out of her body and she lost the ability to resist, not that her addled mind could piece itself together enough to even think of doing so. As the sanguineous liquid passed down her throat as she instinctively swallowed, Saya's mind was struck another blow as she was suddenly overwhelmed by a surge of strange images.

They flowed around her for what seemed an eternity as her mind struggled to make sense of them, until at long last instincts that had been suppressed all her life provided her the answer.

_T-These are genetic memories. _My _genetic memories!_

This startling realization acted like a key and in a metaphorical blink of an eye the maelstrom of images suddenly began to rearrange themselves into a pattern that made sense. As they did, Saya found herself sinking into them.

She remembered as if she was there in that long gone moment and shared in the depths of despair felt by the entire Swarm as the last Swarm Queens were killed by agents of a rival interstellar race. She recalled with the perfect clarity of someone who was actually there how the Queens' blood soaked the ground of what should have been a peaceful diplomatic event.

She saw in her mind's eye and felt with her own being as that despair became an uncontrollable, instinctive drive to win as the bonds through the Ascended plane that held their whole race together shattered. As sisters turned against sisters. As once friendly hives of the Swarm turned on each other and became bitter enemies as they vied to be the last ones standing and for their Queens to ascend and become the new Swarm Queens in a brutal Swarm War.

She was repulsed as the memories made her witness to the Swarm War degenerating into the Extinction War as the rival hives caused the extinction of countless races. Some simply caught in the crossfire, others destroyed so that their genes, technology and resources could be assimilated by their killers to fuel their war effort.

Saya felt the terror that swept through the Swarm as the Four Great Races rallied together and drove her kind to near extinction themselves. She shared her mothers' desperation as they secreted Diva and her on Earth while the rest of their hive fought a desperate delaying action that saved their lives.

The young woman was overcome with grief as she mourned for the lost of so many of her kind, misguided though they were. This feeling however was quickly dispelled though as another set of memories entered her mind.

She watched through Diva, _her twin sister's_ eyes, as Joel and his cousin Amshel brutally experimented on what they call the Chiropteran. As they poked and prodded her like an animal. As they cut her open. As Amshel _raped _her!

_This can't be right! Joel would never do something like this!_ Saya screamed to herself in denial.

But the rational part of her told her the awful truth. _He would._ Above all else, Joel was a scientist. An obsessively driven scholar of the natural world. He would not hesitate to do unspeakable things if it furthered his understanding of the world.

_Oh Joel, what have you done!? _Saya cried as heartbreak filled her world.

* * *

"Saya, are you awake?" Haji's concerned voice pierced through the confused mess of emotion and memory as Saya regained consciousness.

She mumbled out an unintelligible reply as she opened her eyes to find herself being carried in his arms like a princess in a fairy tale. Once being treated as such, by _him _of all people, would have set her face ablaze in embarrassment and a whole host of other feelings.

But now…

Now, she had more important concerns. Like the brilliant glow that was emanating from behind his back and that lit up the night sky. A glow that reminded her disturbingly of fire.

Worried at what that might mean, she craned over Haji's shoulders only to be greeted with evidence of her worst fears. In the distance, she saw her home burning.

And more alarmingly, she sensed the presence of her twin amidst the conflagration.

"W-What happened?" Saya stuttered out in shock, even as she felt she might have a pretty good idea.

"I do not know," Haji replied. "I found you passed out in the cell at the tower. I-"

"I was alone?" Saya demanded.

Haji nodded, and Saya felt her guts begin to churn with nerves. She knew only one thing that would motivate Diva to abandon her like that.

"What happened after that?"

"Well, I panicked of course and tried to rouse you but you refused to wake." Haji told her, his face a mask of worry. "So I decided to carry you back to the manor and call a doctor for you, but I was not even halfway there when it suddenly went up in flames. At that point, I felt it would be best not to return until the situation was contained, so I've been carrying you to the stables where it should be safe."

_This 'situation' is not just going to be contained! _Saya cursed. _Diva's rage won't be so easily quelled. I've got to do something!_

"Haji, put me down." Saya ordered, determination coursing through her veins.

Her loyal servant immediately obliged, gently lowering her to the ground and stepping away.

Saya took a moment to shoot him an apologetic look before using her newly awakened instincts and abilities to speed away. She was moving so fast that to the stunned man's eyes she looked like little more than a red blur as she flew towards the flaming wreck of her home.

"Saya!" Haji cried out in a shocked gasp, but she ignored him. She had to focus on salvaging this situation.

Though as she came to a stop in the ruined courtyard of the manor, she honestly had no clue how she would manage that. She had passed by here hours ago and it had been set up for festivities, with a large tent set up over it and food and drinks set out on tables scattered throughout.

Now, though it looked like a war zone.

Where it had been filled with servants setting out dishes of delicious looking food and filling punch bowls with drinks of every sort, the only things that were currently prowling the tattered remains of the festive decorations were hulking bat-like humanoids. Creatures that she instinctively recognized as Warriors created by Diva using her mutagenic blood and the conversion of a number of the estate's servants.

They were monstrous looking things with their bat-like heads and the membranous wings that some of them were using to fly. But Saya felt no fear of them, as they parted out of her way respectfully as she made her way to the center of the courtyard.

_Considering their appearance, I guess Joel calling us Chiropterans is fitting. _Saya thought to herself idly as she approached her goal.

There in the center of the courtyard where the birthday celebration was to have been held was a still naked but now healthy looking Diva standing over Joel and Amshel as they were held down a pair of Warriors.

The sight of Amshel Goldschmidt boiled her blood as Saya recalled the horrible violations he'd forced upon her sister. He seemed to be saying something to a raptly listening Diva and that just made her even more angry.

_You're not using your silver tongue to get you out of this, you cur. _Saya thought as she blurred to Diva's side even as the thrice damned rapist's decapitated head fell to the ground with a macabre splat.

Joel gasped as the now headless body collapsed but quickly collected himself and turned pleading eyes towards his adoptive daughter.

"Saya!" He cried out, his voice full of desperation. "You have to save me! She's going to kill me!"

Saya took a moment to shoot him a conflicted look before turning away from him to focus on the real reason why she'd come here.

"Sister, why did you kill Amshel?" Diva asked in a whine. "He was telling me something interesting."

"I don't care!" Saya hissed in reply, her anger piqued at the mere mention of the man. "I'm not about to let someone who hurt my sister like that live."

Diva blushed at that, looking absolutely beautiful. A sight that stirred something in Saya that the red-eyed twin wasn't ready to accept. Instead, she pulled her sister into a hug.

At the same time, relying on her awakened instincts to guide her she sent a telepathic command for one of the Warriors to get one of her dresses for Diva from her room which she idly noted was the only undamaged portion of the otherwise ruined manor.

Sensing that the Warrior was returning with what she requested, Saya pulled away from the hug. She opened her mouth to discuss with her sister what they should do with Joel when Diva pulled her into a kiss.

_Her lips tastes like blood. _Saya observed as she instinctively returned the kiss. _It tastes wonderful._

A portion of her mind rebelled at the fact she's kissing her _twin sister_, however the vast majority of her being was consumed by the sheer love she felt through the bond she shared with Diva as they deepened their kiss, their tongues joining the fray as they tentatively began exploring each others' mouths.

_In the face of that how could this be wrong? Besides, why should we live by the morality of humans when we aren't human. _Saya found herself thinking as she ignored Joel's shocked sputtering at the scene unfolding in front of him. Neither did she pay attention to the increasingly soft part of her mind that screamed at her that she's being controlled by the instincts awakened alongside her genetic memory.

The kiss might have lasted a few seconds or a few eternities, Saya couldn't tell. It had been so perfect that she had lost track of time. However, all good things must end and as both twins finally ran out of breath they reluctantly pulled apart.

Saya was giddy with delight and would probably have kissed her sister again, something that Diva's own silly, satisfied grin indicated she wouldn't mind at all, but the sight of the Warrior standing behind her blue-eyed sister reminded her that she had something to do first.

Stepping pass her twin, who pouted at the fact that weren't going to kiss again, she retrieved the dress from the Warrior.

"Diva, could you put this on?" Saya asked as she held up the dress for her sister's inspection.

"But I want to kiss!" The blue-eyed girl whined, stamping her feet adorably in frustration.

"And I promise we can kiss more later," Saya offered. "But you need to get dressed first."

Joel was sputtering some nonsense about things being improper but both Chiropteran women ignored him.

Instead Diva pouted and nodded, before allowing Saya to help her into the clothing. The Warrior, perhaps acting on Saya's unconscious thoughts, had picked out a pretty blue dress with pleated cuffs that the red-eyed sister felt her made twin look quite fetching. Though the look was somewhat ruined by how the dress' fabric was rapidly being stained by the copious amounts of blood that had been covering Diva's body.

_I should really have got her to wash before she put in on. _Saya mused, as she secured the ties of the dress. _Then again, the look that the blood creates is attractive in its own right._

The moment she was properly clothed, Diva pressed herself intimately into Saya's side. The red Queen was startled for a moment, but recovered quickly and slid an arm possessively over her sister's waist. Said sister was looking at her longingly, making it clear even without their telepathic connection, that she very much wanted to get back to kissing.

_Just a little longer, you minx. _Saya sent to her seemingly insatiable sister. _We need to deal with Joel first._

Diva pouted, her disappointment flooding their link, but nevertheless nodded.

"Tell me Joel," Saya said addressing her adoptive father at last. "After all the things you've done to Diva, why shouldn't I just kill you like I did Amshel?"

"Saya, please mercy! I raised you well didn't I? Surely that must count for something."

"You only did that as part of your sick little experiment." Diva cut in accusingly. "It was all because you were using sister as a control. In fact, didn't you try to breed her like some horse?"

The blue Queen punctuated this last statement by gesturing at a newly arrived and thoroughly shocked Hagi.

He wasn't the only one surprised by Diva's observation. She had figured out the fact she was the control for Joel's experimentation on Diva when she'd seen her sister's memories, but the fact that she was being paired up with Haji in the hopes that they would have a child was news to her. Though in hindsight it was so obvious. It explained why a man who purported to be her father would hire a manservant to be her body servant and even go out of his way to actively encourage their friendship, despite the obvious risk of impropriety.

The mere thought of being manipulated in such a way made her nauseous, made worse by the fact that it had been done as part of a science experiment.

Glaring at her adopted father, Saya came to a painful realization. _You've never seen me as more than a lab animal, did you?_

"Saya?" Haji's confused voice calling out pleadingly dragged her away from the hurt of her epiphany.

Turning to him, even as Diva hugged her comfortingly, she offered him a weak smile.

"It's alright, Haji." She reassured him as best as her heavy heart allowed. "Everything is under control."

Haji looked around at their surroundings skeptically, but nevertheless reluctantly nodded.

_You've such an obedient Chevalier. _Diva sent her, her words dripping with jealousy. _I want one too._

Saya was tempted to search her genetic memory for what Diva meant. The term Chevalier was meaningless to her, likely being something Diva had assigned as a new name for whatever caste of the hive that Haji was.

_Though then again, why _is _he a member of our Hive?_

_Seriously? You forgot? _Diva's mind radiated incredulity. _You fed him some of your blood that one time he fell off the cliff, remember?_

_Oh yeah…_ Saya muttered in embarrassment as she recalled the incident. She had spotted a particularly pretty flower growing on a ledge jutting out of a cliff under which she and Haji had been picnicking one day and he had volunteered to pick it for her. He'd fallen in the process and badly injured himself. Driven by panic and instinct, she'd fed him some of her blood to recover.

The whole slightly embarrassing conversation passed in a blink of an eye, such was the speed of telepathic communication, and without the human being aware of her distraction Saya returned her attention to Joel.

"Diva?"

"Yes, sister." The blue Queen replied from where she was snuggled into Saya's side.

"What do you think we should do with the old man?"

"We should kill him." Diva said, a vicious smile on her face.

Saya pondered this for a long moment.

On one hand, he _had _raised her. Whether it had been part of a grand experiment or not, the fact that he had lavished every expense to raise her to be a educated, able young woman was beyond doubt. Yet… What his experiment had cost Diva… His crimes against herself she could forgive, but those against her sister was unpardonable.

With a heavy heart, she turned her back on the man she called father.

"Saya! Please have mercy! Mer-" Joel screamed, only to be cut off as Diva blurred forward and lifted the taller man impossibly off the ground by his scalp. His screams losing all coherence as his feet lost contact with the earth.

Watching through the eyes of their Warriors, Saya frowned as his cries were silenced by a swift clench of Diva's fist.

Tossing the mangled remains to the side and distractedly wiping at the blood, bone and brain matter that had landed on her dress, Diva skipped back to Saya's side.

Embracing her sister intimately once more, she offered Saya a cheerful smile.

"So what now, sister?"

Saya just looked at the burning mansion and considered their options.

"First things first, we need to leave before the authorities come to investigate what happened here," she declared with a frown. "We can consider what to do next once we're safe."

She turned to leave and in the process caught sight of Diva's still blood drenched appearance as her sister shifted to follow her lead.

"Correction," Saya said with a wince. "Before that, we both need a bath."

* * *

On the Ascended Plane, Oma Desala breathed a sigh of relief.

_It seems my_ _investment in the Genestealers is finally looking like it will pay off_. The Alteran thought to herself as she smiled in satisfaction of a plan coming together at long last. _I do hope that they will live up to their reputation. If they do, then the Ori won't know what hit them._

"I'm sure they will." Ganos Lal said as she appeared beside her fellow Ascended.

Oma was unsurprised by the other woman's presence. It was no secret that Ganos had a vested interest in seeing the final defeat of the Ori, more so than perhaps any other Ascended. Her happiness depended on it. It was therefore expected that she would take an interest in Oma's little project.

"Though I can't help but find it ironic that the decision by our ancestors to not destroy the Last Queens and to preserve them might just save the galaxy." Ganos commented as they both watched the projection of the material plane as it showed how the two young Swarm Queens handled their true awakening. "An act of mercy on their part, becoming the key to our salvation."

"I agree," Oma replied with a teasing smile. "Though I feel I must point out that while the Genestealers might be one part of the solution, your Nimue is certainly going to play a part too."

Ganos blushed at the reference to her lover and Oma could only laugh goodnaturedly at her friend.

* * *

**And here it is folks! The first chapter of Book 2 in my Wars of Legends series. I hope you guys liked it.**

**Okay, onto specific things about this chapter I think need some explanation.**

**First, yes this is a Blood+ cross. Surprised by my choice? Well, I was always quite intrigued by the Chiropterans as portrayed in that particular iteration of the Blood franchise. Unlike the norm for that franchise, the Chiropterans in that particular series were an actual prehistoric species and not supernatural creatures like they are in other versions of the story. Their origin in Blood+ flowed nicely with the ideas about ancient races I was toying with in regards to the Stargateverese so after some brainstorming over the years that Wars of Legends percolated as merely a collection of ideas in my head, they became folded into it thus creating what you see above.**

**Secondly, there is the rather random scattershot way Saya's thoughts are shaping up throughout the chapter. This is actually rather deliberate. It is an attempt to show a) that she is not assimilating all the new knowledge and instincts she's activated entirely without hiccups and b) it is designed to showcase her ability to pursue all these disparate thoughts at the same time while still maintaining her focus.**

**Thirdly, if anyone is expecting the twins to be your standard heroic figures… well sorry to burst your bubble but it won't be happening. They'll help save the galaxy eventually but not without doing a lot of heinous stuff along the way. So if that's not your cup of tea you're forewarned here that this fic might not be to your tastes.**

**Lastly… Actually, I think that's it.**

**Well, till next time, peace out!**


	2. Wizarding Complications

**Disclaimer: I don't own Blood+, Harry Potter or Stargate.**

**The Wars of Legends**

**Book 2: Bats Rising**

**Chapter Two: Wizarding Complications**

**Beta:  
**

* * *

**Trigger warnings: Incestous behavior, Gore**

Corporal Émile Boisselot was a loyal soldier of the French Third Republic who was willing to serve his country in anyway it required up to and including dying for it on the battlefield if need be. Thus unlike many of his fellows in his Company he had not minded, over much anyways, marching through the countryside to investigate a fire and subsequent loss of contact with the country estate of some rich eccentric.

That said, he did very mind that this had led him to fighting what appeared to be literal demons out of hell.

"Fire! Fire, you fools! If you want to live, fire!" The lieutenant ordered, sounding half-crazed.

Émile couldn't honestly blame him as he took aim and fired his rifle at the monsters advancing on his unit.

_How in the world did it come to this!? _The soldier wanted to scream, but found his throat too choked by fear to say a word.

As they approached the estate on one of the back roads, the company had spotted a ragtag caravan of people heading in their direction. From Émile's admittedly limited point of view they looked simply like a group bedraggled refugees fleeing whatever tragedy had befallen the estate, but apparently their officers decided that the way they were moving suspiciously like a military unit. The corporal didn't see it. All he'd seen was that they were keeping a watchful eye on their surroundings, which was understandable considering their situation.

The officers didn't ask for his opinion though and decided to send a scout ahead while the rest of the company formed up in battle formation. Émile had thought it ludicrous. At least he did until the whole band of supposed refugees had transformed into demons with oversized arms and long bestial faces at the first sight of their scout.

The poor man had tried to turn around the moment he realized what they were truly facing but had been brought down when one of the abominations had leapt impossibly high into the air, revealing a pair of bat-like wings growing from those unnaturally long arms of theirs and dived down to take him and his horse down in one fell swoop.

Then the demons had started advancing on them, forming up into a wall of monstrous flesh as if to shield the lone coach that had been at the center of their infernal caravan.

"Where's that cannon?" Someone shouted hysterically from further down the line, just as said artillery piece announced its presence by firing into the line of monsters.

A few of the beasts were thrown around by the shell's impact with the ground, but they quickly got back up and resumed their positions in their formation whilst their wounds, grievous looking though they seemed, healed before the soldiers' terrified eyes.

By this point Émile was on the verge of fleeing and he doubted he was the only one. He and his comrades had shot volley after volley at the enemy to no avail and now not even cannon shot was doing them any damage! The only thing keeping him there was the understanding that if he fled, he would only be easier prey for these hellspawn.

"The devil!" Another soldier shouted, while pointing wildly up into the air.

Émile looked towards where he was pointing and he felt his blood freeze in terror. He'd thought that he'd been afraid up till now, but he hadn't known what true fear meant. Not until now. For his comrade was right. There in the sky was a creature with the body of a man but had a pair of bat wings growing out of his back and a pair of vicious claws for hands.

It seemed to hang in the air for a moment, surveying the company of panicking soldiers with cool disdain before in a sudden blur it disappeared.

Almost in the same instant there was the sounding of tearing metal and the sound of screams. Risking a glance behind him at the cannon, Émile was horrified to find the devil standing amidst its torn wreckage and surrounded by the corpses of its gunnery crew.

Time seemed to slow for the soldier as the devil turned to look at him with crimson eyes full of cold, calculating malice. Seized by his fear, Émile took a horrified step back.

This failed to save him as the devil slammed into him in a blur and impaled him on this right arm, his claws easily piercing through his flesh and bone.

The last sight Émile Boisselot, soldier of the French Third Republic, ever saw was the devil tossing him aside before tearing into his comrades with his infernal host joining in the carnage just as his vision went black for the last time.

* * *

Diva sat patiently beside her sister in the carriage as their hive dealt with those pesky human soldiers who had come to bar their way. Or more accurately, she was draped over Saya as they waited.

Saya, for some reason, was worried.

_As if these primitive humans could possibly pose a threat to us. _

Despite not understanding her sister's worry, Diva was a dutiful sister and was helpfully distracting Saya from her concerns by playing with her hair from her position halfway in her lap. She would have done more, like kissing along her sister's neck which she'd found out over their experiments the last few days was something of her weak point, but had been pushed away when she tried.

"Saya, it's done." Haji, sister's Chevalier, said from outside the carriage.

The red Queen sighed in relief at that and pushed Diva off her completely.

"What are you doing?" The blue Queen asked with a pout as her sister stood.

"I want to survey the damage."

"You can do that through the Hivemind." Diva whined, reminding her sister that they could just as easily see out of the eyes of their children as their own.

"With my own eyes," Saya insisted as she opened the carriage door.

Her Chevalier was there immediately to help her down, and Diva took a moment to admire his true form as she followed her unreasonable sister. His transformation was surprisingly minimal, involving only the growth of a pair of wings and his hands changing into a set of claws.

_I wonder if this is because he was transformed by sister's blood when she wasn't awakened to her true self. _Diva mused curiously. _It shouldn't have made a difference, but I really can't think of any other reason._

"This is-" Saya trailed off suddenly, catching Diva's wandering attention.

Turning back to her sister, she saw that she was looking out at the field of dead humans with a look of shock.

_What did you expect, sister? _Diva sent telepathically. _You know what we're capable of. Considering that, did you honestly expect anything less?_

_No, but still… Actually seeing it is still surprising._

Diva really couldn't empathize. She didn't understand what her sister was so worked up about at all. The blue Queen blamed it on her human upbringing. It had skewed her sister's thinking from what a proper Chiropteran Queen's should be like.

_Like the need to wear clothing. _Diva griped as she pulled uncomfortably at the overly tight fabric of her dress. What was wrong with walking around naked? She'd been naked the better part of her life and hadn't found anything wrong with that. Though she knew better than to let her sister hear her even think that. Saya got very angry when she mentioned that and Diva didn't want that, even if it felt nice that she was angry on her behalf. Not that she understood why.

"This, this massacre will attract attention." Saya said after a moment of silence. "Too much attention."

"So what?" Diva asked, unable to follow her sister's logic.

"So the authorities might choose to send more than just a company at us next time."

"Then we'll just kill it all the same." Diva replied dismissively. "I don't see the problem."

"And the time after that? Or the time after that?" Saya pressed. "Are we going to kill all of France just to remain safe?"

"Oh," Diva said, chastised.

"Yes, oh." Saya said running a hand through her hair in frustration as she tried to formulate a plan.

Diva watched from her end of their link as Saya thought up and discarded plan after plan at a furious pace, before settling on one. Though she sensed she was hardly fully satisfied with it.

"We'll send the bulk of the Warriors in one direction to serve as a distraction, while the two of us will take a smaller group and travel in another."

"This will leave us vulnerable."

"I know Haji, I know." Saya said with a sigh. "But we'll attract less scrutiny if we travel in a smaller group."

The Chevalier looked unconvinced, but didn't offer an alternative suggestion.

"Is that the best plan you have, sister?"

"Unfortunately, yes." Saya admitted.

"Then, we have no choice do we?"

No one could fault Diva's logic.

"Haji, pick out the Warriors you think should follow us. Get them back into human form and into clothes that will make them look like part of the retinue of a pair of young ladies on a tour of the countryside." Saya ordered now that the decision was made. "Send the rest in every other direction than the one we're headed. Have them stay in packs and tell them to be as obvious in their movements as possible. They're our decoys so they need to be as attention grabbing as they possibly can be."

Diva blinked in confusion as her sister verbally gave her commands.

_Surely she remembers we can communicate with all the members of our hive telepathically, right? _

Shaking her head at her sister's apparent silliness, Diva turned to return to the carriage.

_Saya did say nudity is only frowned upon in public right? And if I pull down the blinds on the windows then the carriage would be private, right? _The blue Queen thought as a smile spread across her face. _Oh! Isn't Saya going to be surprised when she gets done barking orders._

* * *

Javert Marcon, Senior Auror at the French Ministry of Magic was looking forward to a good old boring day at the office. He'd just gotten off a case of rather malicious muggle baiting that had left over three dozen muggles dead and the Muggle government breathing down his neck, and could really use a more relaxed pace for a while.

Unfortunately for the muscular man with a well trimmed beard fate had other plans. No sooner had he stepped into the department when his boss, the Chief of the Bureau des Aurors (Bureau of Aurors) called him into his office.

"Can I help you, Chief?"

The old man shot him a look for his tone but otherwise showed no sign of annoyance. He was after all well practiced with Javert's attitude.

"There's been multiple reports of monsters in the South," the Chief said, getting right to the point. "I want you to go investigate."

"Monsters?" Javert asked skeptically. "You don't have anything more concrete for me than that?"

"Unfortunately not. We've plenty of descriptions, consistent ones at that, but none of them match any known magical creatures." The older man said as he handed Javert a file on the case.

"A new breed?" Macron said as he paged through the file, stopping to look at a furry, horse faced humanoid monster with grossly elongated forelimbs.

"Possibly," the Chief acknowledged. "Which is why we need to investigate it?

"Why us? Why not the Bureau de Régulation et de Contrôle des Bêtes Magiques (Bureau of Regulation of Control of Magical Beasts)?"

"Because Javert," the Chief said, his tone serious. "These monsters have reportedly wiped out an entire company of the French army already, ravaged a dozen villages and attacked at least one train causing a major derailment. All told they have been responsible for no less than the death of three thousand people and that's only in the month since we've become aware of them. Who knows how many more people they killed before then?"

"By the Philosopher's Stone!"

"Exactly. Which is why I want you, the best Auror in France on this case." The Chief said, completely honest in his sentiment of Javert's skill. "I can't trust something as serious as this to anyone else."

"What do you need me to do?"

"Find out where these things are and kill them. Trace them back to their source and kill or destroy whatever created them."

It was an extreme set of orders, but considering the circumstances Javert could understand them. Tensions between the Ministry of Magic and the muggle government were running high. A situation like this, with a runaway infestation of deadly magical creatures could very easily be used as an excuse by the muggles to start a war. A war that the Ministry could not win, not when half of Beauxbatons' graduates every year for the past ten years were now working for the muggles.

"I'll handle this Chief," Javert told the older man confidently. "You don't have to worry about a thing."

The Chief just nodded and waved at him in dismissal.

Saluting his superior, Javert marched out of the office and searched the department for his best friend and partner, Jean Valjean.

Spotting the roguish man chatting up a pretty young junior Auror by the floo, Macron walked right up to the man and tossed the case file into Jean's chest. The slightly younger man stumbled at the suddenness of it all, but nevertheless caught the file before its contents could spill out on the floor.

"Save your flirting for later, Valjean." Javert told the man. "We have a case. Oh and Miss Allard, please gather your team and meet up with us at the central atrium in ten minutes. You're all coming along with us."

"Y-Yes sir," the startled junior Auror said as she snapped off a salute and rushed off to do as Javert asked.

"Was that necessary, Javert? I was getting really close to getting her to visit me this weekend." Jean told him shamelessly.

Javert just snorted at his friend's proclivities while leveling a glare in his direction.

"Yes, it was."

"Serious case then?" Jean asked, finally getting the hint.

"Deadly so."

"Then let's get me up to speed." Jean said, all traces of the playful flirt from earlier gone.

Javert nodded and began to do as his friend requested.

* * *

It took only an hour of tracking from the last known sighting of the creatures to catch up to a pack of five of the unknowns in the middle of field. Though Javert had a feeling that this was quite deliberate on the monsters' part.

"They're just standing out in the open like that? Are they trying to be discovered?" Jean asked, giving voice to the suspicion shared by all the Aurors as they observed the monstrous creatures from a considerable distance away.

"Perhaps. But whatever the case, we have our orders." Javert replied. "Allard, take Touchard and go to the right. Besson, Chevotet, you two take the left. Millet, Lecocq, take the other side. We'll box them in and finish them off with a standard crossfire."

The Aurors all nodded in acknowledgement, but before they could move into position things fell apart.

Seemingly having heard their plan somehow, the creatures decided to preempt it by making the first move. With a furious screeching roar they had suddenly started running on all fours at speeds well beyond what something that size and with the awkward gorilla like gait the creature had should have been able to manage directly at the Aurors.

"Firing line!"

With the discipline that came with extensive training, the Aurors reacted to Javert's order without any hesitation and lined up in a straight line.

"Fire at will!" Javert roared the moment his men and women were in position.

"_Confringo!_" The six Aurors cast in a staggered volley.

Fiery orange beams of magic raced from their wands at the rapidly closing beasts. One hit the lead creature in the shoulder, engulfing it in a explosion and sending it reeling back from the impact. The others' spells didn't go anywhere as well though as the monsters zigged and zagged across the field, evading the spells and the explosions they caused.

"Keep firing!" Javert ordered even as a cold chill went down his spine as he saw the one downed creature get back to its feet. Its shoulder was a mess of burned flesh but in front of the Aurors' eyes it healed.

"_Expulso!" _Jean cast from beside Javert with a grim smile, having escalating to the more powerful spell at the sight. "They have a healing factor."

Javert nodded as he too threw an Expulso Curse, the enhanced explosive curse, at the monsters.

Not that it did any good. Between his Expulso and Jean's, they managed to send a trio of the beasts flying but this only kept them down for a bit before they picked themselves back up and continued their charge, healing any injury they had sustained whilst doing so.

"Allard, call for backup! Now!" Javert shouted urgently while still sending Expulsos at the enemy, adding his spellfire to the veritable storm of magic his fellow Aurors were sending downrange.

At his command, the young witch quickly stopped her casting and hastily pulled out a two way mirror before requesting for reinforcements from the Bureau. Unfortunately, it was her distraction with this task which cost her life. She had just finished when one of the monsters leapt up into the air in an impossible jump and crashed back down to earth directly on top of her crushing her into bloody paste with its weight.

"Lucienne!" Jean cried bitterly, even as he hit the creature with a Expulso at what practically amounted to point blank range. Not that it fazed the creature which ignored its already healing burns to reach out and with a casual swing of its left forelimb decapitated Javert's best friend.

Javert froze in shock at the sight of his partner's corpse collapsing forward onto the blood soaked field, totally oblivious as the rest of the monsters reached his squad and began tearing them apart. Literally.

It was only when the bloody remains of Besson's limbless torso slammed into him that Javert regained his wits. Thankfully, this was just in time to roll out of the way of an overhead smash from one of the beasts.

"_Flipendo!_" Javert cast hastily, forcing the nearest monster back. The beast roared as it was pushed back by the power of his spell but the Auror ignored the bone rattling sound to assess the situation.

It was unfortunately beyond grim. He was the last man standing. Of his squad of eight, everyone else was dead. Their bodies having been physically torn apart by the beasts. Beasts who were now eating their remains!

This realization filled Javert with a sense of hatred that he'd never felt before. He'd handled countless cases in his long career, some of which involved despicable beings that probably didn't even deserve the right to considered people. But none of them had treated their victims with such barbarity. None of them had hurt his friends and coworkers like this.

Pointing his wand at the monster which had attacked him earlier and which was now gearing up for a second round, Javert poured all his hate and the accompanying desire to murder the object of his ire into the one spell he _knew _would kill the thing.

"_Avada Kedavra!_" The Auror incanted, sending the green light of the killing curse shooting out of his wand to slam into the monster.

Living up to its name, the curse dealt its trademark instantaneous death upon its target. The mighty beast fell like a puppet whose strings had been cut, collapsing into a lifeless heap.

The death of one of their ilk had the four remaining beasts turn away from their meals to give Javert their undivided attention. Smiling grimly, his wand still glowing with sparks of the green magic of the killing curse, the Auror made the come hither gesture with his free hand.

As one the monsters pounced at him, moving so fast the edges of their bodies appeared to be blurring. Despite this, Javert faced them with the same death's head grin and the killing curse on the tip of his tongue.

* * *

It would be fifteen minutes later that the reinforcements that the now deceased junior Auror Lucienne Allard had called for arrived. They apparited into a bloodbath. Human body parts were littered all over what might have once been a nice empty field. At the center of which stood a pile of monstrous, inhuman corpses of equine faced magical beasts with disproportionately long forelimbs.

These would have been disturbing enough.

But the most unsettling thing the Aurors found on the site was their colleague Senior Auror Javert Marcon sitting atop the pile of bodies. He was covered in blood and his torn uniform allowed them to see a staggering array of cauterized wounds that crisscrossed every visible part of his body. Despite all this, he was grinning maniacally.

"What took you lot so long?" The clearly unhinged Auror said, never once letting that twisted smile fade from his face.

* * *

Hundreds of kilometers away, in their carriage as it raced across the back roads of the French countryside, Saya shot Diva a worried look as the last of the Warriors facing against the wand wavers were killed. They had been watching the whole battle through the eyes of their children and had witnessed how a single one of those near-Ascended Beings had managed to kill _five_ of their Warriors.

"Maybe he was unique?" Diva suggested hopefully. "I mean none of the others were much of a threat."

"I think having near-Ascended Beings on Earth at all is a threat to us," Saya rebutted. "Besides what if he isn't one of a kind? What if whoever these people are have dozens more like him?"

Saya took no pride in causing Diva to shiver in fright at the prospect she'd raised.

"We need to leave," Diva concluded.

Saya nodded, pleased that she'd finally convinced her sister of the necessity. "We'll need to secure a base first, but yes once we're able we'll leave the planet."

"We'll need to hurry."

That they would need to escape before the strange wand wavers caught up to them was left unsaid.

* * *

**And done! As always I hope you guys liked it.**

**So, not much to say about this chapter. It's pretty straightforward, even down to the homages I made by choosing **_**those **_**names for my lead Auror characters. Sadly the rest has no significance. I literally just took them from a random French name generator.**

**So I've been getting a lot of reviews suggesting how the story should proceed. Things like how Nimue should develop her domain further, etc. While I'm heartened by all the interest, I'd like to remind everyone that this story is already complete. That's what allows me to release the chapters daily. In other words, I've made my decisions in regards to all these matters already. Feel free to speculate & even provide suggestions on what you think will happen in the story but please don't be too pushy about it. So far no one has crossed the line but I'm putting this up before someone does. Please keep in mind that I won't rewrite thousands of words without a very good reason.**

**Well, that's it folks. Till next time, ciao.**


	3. The Hunter & The Hunted

**Disclaimer: I don't own Blood+, Harry Potter or Stargate.**

**The Wars of Legends**

**Book 2: Bats Rising**

**Chapter Three: The Hunter and The Hunted**

**Beta:  
**

* * *

**Trigger warnings: Dehumanization, Mentions of Incest**

Ever since his encounter with the monsters, that some bright spark back at the Ministry had named Chiropterans since they supposedly matched the description of the mummified remains of a similar creature rumored to have been found in Iceland years ago, Javert had become the foremost expert at tracking and more importantly killing the beasts. A mission that he was increasingly coming to revel in. These bat monsters with their regeneration were tough opponents and it was a thrill to kill them. This was in addition to every kill helping to assuage his broken heart while also giving him a healthy dose of satisfaction at doling out a measure of vengeance.

Case in point, he was having the time of his life as he fought a pack of the beasts that he'd tracked down thanks to rumors of ape monsters hiding in the Forest of Argonne. He was alone and probably should have waited for backup. Especially since it was the dead of night, but honestly he didn't need it.

The beasts' screeching roar echoed all around him. He imagined they were fueled by fury. He'd already felled half their pack, as evidenced by the three corpses he'd levitated around himself to serve as a makeshift barricade.

"_Expulso!_" He cast, obliterating a tree that one of Chiropterans had been resting on.

The creature evaded the shot though and leapt into the air, spreading its wings and flew skyward.

_You're not tricking me that easily._ Javert smirked as he turned away from the monster in the air to the two that had tried to exploit his distraction and leapt at him out of the forest.

"_Incarcerous! Incarcerous!_" Javert incanted his two spells in quick succession even as he spun in a circle, hitting both his attackers one after another in the process. Typically the spell merely conjured thick ropes or thin cords from thin air to bind the target, but a little tweaking and practice had allowed the Senior Auror to create thick, heavy, weighted iron chains instead.

The added weight of their new restraints threw off the leaping Chiropterans' flight paths completely and they crashed down to earth just short of their target.

_Those chains won't hold them long. _Javert mused, largely unconcerned. _I'll have to deal with the one in the air quickly. Thankfully, it should be helping me with that right now._

Looking up Javert smiled as she saw that exactly as he predicted the airborne monster had tucked itself into a dive straight at him.

"_Avada Kedavra!_" Javert cast with a bloodthirsty smirk.

In the middle of its dive, even the incredible agility of its race proved unable to allow it to escape the Killing Curse and it was struck head on. However, this did little to the momentum of its fall and it remained on a collision course for the human.

Javert however was prepared.

"_Mobilicorpus!_" The Senior Auror cast, gaining a measure of control over the corpse's movements. Not enough to fully stop its descent but enough to redirect it.

With a flick of his wand he sent the still descending corpse crashing into one of its still living and newly freed brethren.

The impact caused the victim to howl in what Javert hoped was pain, and he was tempted to take a moment to bask in the beautiful sound but knew he couldn't. Instead, he spun to turn the other Chiropteran he'd ensnared earlier to see that it too had finished breaking free of its chains.

Or just about anyways. Without giving it a chance to finish its extraction, Javert smiled.

"_Avada Kedavra!_"

As the monstrous body collapsed to the ground, Javert turned to face the last living Chiropteran which was in the midst of tearing its way free of the corpse of its compatriot that Javert had trapped him under. It was still nicely pinned though, and with the dark smile on his face he cast once more.

"_Avada Kedavra!_"

* * *

"He's taken down another pack of our Warriors," Saya noted with a frown as their connection to the final Warrior in the Argonne was severed by death.

"We only have a half dozen decoys left," Diva added worriedly.

Saya pulled her twin into a hug, hoping to offer her comfort despite sharing her concern.

"If it is any consolation, it appears he is the only of these wizards, as they call themselves, who appear to be such a threat. Every other band of them the decoys have encountered were dealt with quite handily." Haji, sitting across from them in the carriage, said in his own attempt at offering comfort.

"That's true," Diva said still looking stricken. "But what if he comes after _us_?"

"That's why we need a base. One where we can not only build a ship to escape this planet but also where we can safely build up our numbers."

"Will numbers really be enough to keep us safe from _him_, sister?" Diva asked, suppressing a shiver at the mere mention of the killer.

"I don't know," Saya answered honestly. "But it'll help at least. He seems to have the most difficulty fighting the larger groups."

Diva just hummed doubtfully, clearly unconvinced.

"It's the best strategy I can come up with," Saya told her with an apologetic sigh, as she pushed the blinds of one of the carriage windows aside. "Besides we're here. It's too late to back out now."

Outside the carriage, and visible through the window as they rolled past it on the road was a simple sign that indicated they'd arrived at the town of Bouzillé.

* * *

Conquering Bouzillé had been a simple affair.

They had simply rolled into the center of the small remote town and proceeded to order their small retinue of Warriors to spread out and seize its inhabitants. Caught completely unawares, with most of them fast asleep, there was little to no resistance as their children burst into their homes and dragged the townsfolk from their beds.

Some had been stirred by the commotion and tried to defend themselves, but unlike the wizards these humans lacked any weapons that could harm Chiropteran and were easily overpowered. Others had tried to flee, but one of their many inheritances from their ancestors was acute night vision and their supernatural speed. With these tools they easily captured all those who sought to escape them.

Now the pitiful townsfolk were cowering in a large circle at the center of their own village whilst surrounded by a pack of two dozen Chiropteran Warriors.

"A little under four hundred people. They'll make a healthy foundation for our Hive." Diva noted with satisfaction.

Saya nodded uncertainly. She knew this had been her plan all along but actually putting it into practice and not just seeing it as an intellectual exercise was making her feel distinctly uncomfortable.

"Let's begin," She said nevertheless, putting on a brave front as she bit down on her thumb causing it to bleed slightly. She felt her body rushing to heal the wound but a thought halted it. She needed her blood to flow.

As one of the Warriors dragged a young teenager that looked roughly her age forward, Saya had to fight the frown on her face as her child forced the girl's mouth open and she dropped her blood into it.

It took only a few drops, possibly only one, touching her lips to begin the girl's transformation. She began convulsing and her flesh began to rapidly grow. Her face changed first, the bones and flesh seemingly melting as they took on the distinctively long almost equine face characteristic of their kind. This was soon followed by her nightclothes tearing as her proportions, her very biology changed to accommodate what Saya's mutagenic blood was converting her into. Her limbs elongated immensely so as to allow the quadrupedal motion that her new form utilized for mobility. Her abdomen distended greatly and splits opened along its side that quickly revealed themselves to be birth canals for the many new wombs that her changed body possessed.

In the background, Saya could hear the townsfolk cry out in horror but she heard none of it. She was completely captivated by the sight before her. That and the deep instinctual pleasure she felt at seeing the creation of a new Chiropteran.

As the conversion was completed, the new Broodmother, now at least five times the size of the woman she'd once been, bowed its head submissively to its Queen.

Her lingering humanity caused Saya to almost take a step back in revulsion, but Diva caught her arm. She turned to see her twin standing next to a freshly converted Warrior created from one of Bouzillé's menfolk.

"It's okay, sister." Diva said tenderly, giving her arm a comforting squeeze. "We'll do this together."

Saya gave a hesitant nod, even as the Broodmother moved to the side and the Warriors forced a pair of terrified young children in front of their Queens. By their similar appearance, the little boy and girl were probably siblings or relatives at least. And if she had still thought of herself as a human, Saya would have been disgusted by what she was about to do to them.

But Diva's comforting presence by her side, necessity and the desire to once more feel the pleasure of creating more of their race drove such human thoughts to the far depths of her mind.

Acting in sync, she and Diva raised both their bleeding hands over the forced open mouths of the children. Like with the woman before them, it only took a minuscule amount of the Queens' mutagenic blood to begin the conversion. In just moments the convulsions of the transformation was complete, and two Chiropteran Workers with their child sized humanoid bodies and enlarged heads stood where two human children once did.

"Next," Saya said with a shaky confidence. "We don't have all night."

Even as the words left her mouth and her Warriors began dragging the next pair of victims to their fate, Saya felt a part of her humanity die. Surprisingly, she didn't care.

* * *

The conversions had ended up taking the rest of the night, and with the cover of darkness lifted the Queens decided it best to rest for the day before beginning the next stage of their plans in earnest on the next night.

Thus after giving orders to their Hive to shapeshift back into their previous human forms and pretend that nothing had happened, they had retreated to the best rooms in the small town for the day. This turned out not to be the mayor's house, but rather the best suite in the little used local tavern. There the door had barely closed on the two sisters, before a excited Diva had jumped Saya. Feeling equally celebratory after having so greatly expanded their Hive in a single night, Saya had easily let herself be swept away by her instincts and made sweet, passionate love to her twin.

They had been at it the whole morning therefore it was not until late afternoon that Saya descended from her room to greet the day.

She was just stepping down to the pub that served as the tavern's ground floor after a nap and bath when she found Haji waiting for her at the base of the stairs.

"Good afternoon, Haji." The red Queen greeted her old friend with a smile.

"Good afternoon, Saya." Haji returned automatically. "Is Diva still asleep?"

"Yes," Saya said rubbing her heavily pregnant womb, a byproduct of their vigorous lovemaking. "She's carrying a Broodmother and is swollen beyond belief. I asked her to stay in bed until she's birthed."

The red Queen was honestly a tad unnerved with her own words. Or more precisely with how accepting she was being with her newly discovered nature as a Chiropteran Hive Queen and all that accompanied it. Something that she noted seemed to be more and more the case as the number of Chiropterans in the hive increased.

_Is there a connection?_

"I see," Haji said hesitantly, dragging Saya from her thoughts. "Then I think this is as good a time as any to have this conversation with you."

"What did you want to talk about?" Saya asked curiously as she took a seat at one of the pub's tables and gestured for her friend to do the same.

Haji took a seat before continuing.

"I just want to express my worry at the way you're losing humanity," he said gesturing at Saya's bloated womb and the pair of Workers gestating inside.

"I won't deny what you've said about my humanity," Saya said with a sigh. "But I, we, don't have a choice. This is is necessary for the survival of our species. Which I might add isn't human."

"But you were raised as a human."

"By a mad scientist as part of an experiment." Saya shot back defensively, the mention of her upbringing dredging up unpleasant memories and feelings about Joel.

Haji nodded, conceding the point.

"Nevertheless, does that mean you're willing to throw aside all the morals you learned as a human? To do something as immoral, by those standards, as to enter into an intimate relationship with your _twin sister_?"

Her Chevalier's tone was not quite but almost accusatory and it made Saya feel angrily defensive.

"You are out of line," Saya warned him. "You have no right to question my relationship with Diva."

"I disagree," Haji insisted. "As your oldest friend, it is my right and duty to press you to question what you're doing especially when you're changed so much in such a short period of time."

"Discovering what you really are can do that to someone." Saya shot back.

"But are you alright with these changes?"

"Honestly? Not entirely." Saya admitted with a sigh. "But I've accepted it."

Haji opened his mouth, to press her further Saya was sure but she had enough of being subjected to the inquisition. It was time to turn the tables on her loyal servant.

"Are you asking all this, Haji, because of your infatuation with me?"

The usually stoic man let his surprise show in his eyes for a moment before recovering his cool and maintaining his silence.

"Did you think I didn't know how you felt for me?" Saya asked. "While I might have been too blind to see it when I thought I was human, As a Queen I can sense your feelings for me through the Hivemind."

"Then I suppose there's not point denying it." Haji said with a sigh. "Yes, I _am _in love with you. And yes it is because of these feelings that I want to be sure that you've truly accepted what you're doing now."

Had she? Saya wasn't entirely sure she had. She was certain however that she couldn't think of any other path ahead for herself at the moment.

"I do," the red Queen told her Chevalier, the words feeling more true as she spoke them.

Haji nodded and stood. He began to walk away but called over his shoulder, "I love you, Saya. I always will. Not just because you are my Queen but because of the person that you are. And because of that I'll always stand by your side. Always. Remember that."

"I will," Saya told her sincerely. "And know that I truly appreciate your feelings."

Haji just offered another nod and walked out of the pub, leaving Saya to mull over where her life had taken her.

* * *

As night fell on Bouzillé once more, the Queens finally put their new workforce to the task of building their base.

At their telepathic command, the Workers swarmed out of the houses where they had been masquerading as the children they once were and began using several more out of the way buildings as the entry points, they began digging. By the end of the first night they had dug sufficient tunnels to continue work at all hours of the day without alarming any visitors to town with their inhuman appearance.

That said, the Queens nevertheless remained cautious and continued to maintain a significant number of Warriors and some of the Workers on the surface at all times who used their shapeshifting to keep up the ruse that nothing was amiss going as long as possible. And if need be to serve as a first line of defense against interlopers.

As their tunnels grew ever more extensive however, more and more work could be carried out out of sight and thus the development of the Hive accelerated. As a result, within a week the basics of a Chiropteran Hive was in place, complete with birthing chambers where the Broodmothers could safely give birth to more Chiropterans and manufactories for some basic advanced technologies but most importantly the large hangar where their escape ship was to be constructed.

The work on the all important ship was going more slowly but still at a steady pace. They were held back by a lack of quite a bit of the material they needed, such as Naquadah and Trinium but thankfully they were able to make use of their Ascended powers to transmute matter into the required materials. It was inefficient and draining but speed was of the essence as the wizards were a real threat and they needed to leave the world as soon as possible.

In fact just how much of a threat they posed would soon be made clear once more.

* * *

Over the last six months, Javert had been obsessively chasing down the Chiropteran monsters. Not just those roving packs but more importantly their origins. After months of hard work, he'd finally hit a breakthrough when tracing the pattern of sightings and encounters, he had located what he was sure had been the birthplace: the estate of some eccentric muggle named Joel Goldschmidt.

The place was abandoned of course, but there had been the tell tale signs of the Chiropterans all over the ruins. Scratches in walls and other masonry that matched their claw marks. Lingering traces of the powerful magic that fueled their unnatural abilities.

With their point of origin as a reference, it was not difficult for Javert to chart out their dispersal. Relying primarily on the magic they left in their wake, he had been able to identify how everyone of the packs that had been dealt with had spread out from their birthplace. That however left a single trail of magic that led to a small muggle town of Bouzillé unaccounted for.

As the Auror apparated just outside of town and began walking into it, he couldn't help but feel tense. He hadn't even began his investigation, hadn't even spoken a word to the townsfolk and he already felt like he was in hostile territory. It might have been the unwelcoming looks the locals were shooting him, but his gut was telling him that it was more than that.

Provincial folk tended to distrust strangers, especially in a remote town like this, but the hostility here seemed excessive. As proved by the mob of villagers that moved to bar his way just as he was about to enter the town square.

"You're not welcome here, stranger." The mob's leader said predictably. "Leave."

"I'll gladly do so," Javert offered. "But tomorrow. I'm weary from my journey and would like to rest for today and set off again tomorrow."

"No," the leader replied adamantly. "Leave. Now."

_Okay. They're definitely hiding something. _Javert pondered warily, as he discretely drew his wand. _I wonder what?_

He was apparently not discrete enough, as the whole town seemed to freeze as his hand gripped the wood of his magical focus.

_Wha-_

Javert never got the chance to finish the thought as suddenly, everyone in the town were leaping at him transforming into Chiropterans in midair as they did so.

_Holy shit! _Javert cursed as he spun on the spot to apparate away, leaving the beasts to attack empty air.

Many kilometres away Javert began laughing hysterically as he disapparated in the middle of a forest clearing. His hasty apparition had caused him to splinch himself and lose a chunk of flesh on his left arm but he ignored the pain. He was too happy to allow such a minor injury to affect.

He'd got them! He'd found the motherlode!

"I've got you now you abominations! There's no escape for you this time!" Javert cried out in frenzied joy as he fantasized about destroying the subject of his vengeance.

* * *

**And done!**

**I didn't really like the last two scenes to be honest, but at the same time I can't think of how to make them better so I'm leaving them as is.**

**Beyond that, I hope you like this chapter. It explores in more detail than the last the continued lost of humanity of both Saya and Javert. The former as she accepts she was never human to begin with and her nature as a Chiropteran. Javert on the other hand… He is a tragic figure just like his namesake. He's let vengeance consume him and it's twisted him. Both these cases of lost humanity are sad. Or at least I am trying to make them such.**

**So LuluViBritania asked why the Aurors didn't just use the Killing Curse once they realized the Chiropteran Warriors had OP regeneration. Here's the two reasons I gave him:**

**1) Not everyone can cast the Killing Curse. And for most of them who can it's quite taxing at least what I can gather from my research on it's canon mechanics. At least that's how I'm making it work in this verse. After all, if this wasn't the case then why don't wizarding villains use it all the time?**

**2) It ties into the first point but keep in mind there was more than one Warrior in that fight. Considering the drawbacks of the killing curse, using a volley of them is a risky move. Let's say all the Aurors attempts it, less than a third would successfully cast the spell & all of them would feel at least temporarily drained in the aftermath. If all those spells hit then great, but what if even one of the monsters survives? It'll take advantage of the opening presented from everyone recovering from at least attempting to use the AK & cause massive harm. Of course, in hindsight that might have been the better option but they didn't know that.**

**PeterJAC also suggested back in a review for Book 1 that I should write some sidestories to expand on aspects of the story where details are lacking, like the lives of people in Nimue's domain, flesh out the characterization of the supporting characters, etc. I actually address these issues in sidestories that is admittedly set at the very end of the story. That said, I can understand if that's not the same and people might not be willing to be that patient. As such, I'm opening the floor to readers to attempt to do so if they so choose. Just consult me beforehand and give me the right to decide on what's considered canonical. Anyone interested just drop me a PM.**

**As usual, tell me what you guys think. Till next time, ciao.**


	4. The Flight from Bouzillé

**Disclaimer: I don't own Blood+, Harry Potter or Stargate.**

**The Wars of Legends**

**Book 2: Bats Rising**

**Chapter Four: The Flight from Bouzillé**

**Beta:  
**

* * *

**Trigger warnings: Incest, Public nudity**

It was nighttime in Bouzillé and within the Queens' Chambers of the Hive Complex that had been dug beneath the town Saya and Diva were having sex as they had at every opportunity since the establishment of their base so as to supplement the Broodmothers in producing new members of the Swarm.

Even as Saya rubbed her nude body against Diva's and they worshipped each other's bodies, part of her was grossed out by the fact that she was having sex with her twin. Particularly by the inhuman way their labias just seemed to meld into each other and the ovipositor she hadn't known she'd even had until her genetic memory had been unlocked dueled with Diva's own within their wombs as they implanted eggs into each other.

_Nonsense. _She told herself as she adjusted her position so she could suckle at Diva's breast. _This is perfectly natural for Chiropteran Hive Queens._

She had been thinking that more and more lately, and as she did it became easier each time to give herself over to the intense pleasure and love that having sex with her Diva brought.

Speaking of pleasure, she was steadily building herself up to a crescendo what with the way that Diva had taken to howling in ecstasy at her ministrations of her teat while simultaneously leaving bloody scratches down her back that sent a sinfully perfect mixture of pain and pleasure down Saya's spine.

She, and she felt through their bond Diva as well, was just at the precipice of a monumental climax when a quick burst of panic from the surface sentries surged through the Hivemind and smothered their passion nigh instantaneously.

"Damn it!" Diva cursed, giving voice to their mutual frustration, as the two Queens disengaged from each other.

Saya offered her sister an apologetic smile, as she stepped away.

Ignoring the now familiar sight of both their wombs steadily swelling with the new life they'd begotten through their lovemaking, Saya closed her eyes to focus on looking through the eyes of her children on the surface to discern what was the cause of concern.

Her breath hitched in fear as she saw _the killer_ teleport into the town square alongside a large number of wizards and began massacring her children. Her brave Warriors fought valiantly, swarming the wizards but it was in vain. While it seemed only _the killer_ could cast the spell that killed instantaneously, the other wizards had learned from their previous encounters with their kind and were using concentrated barrages of their explosive spells against individual Warriors to overwhelm their healing factors. As a result, despite the best efforts of the sentries they were gradually being wiped out.

_I have to take charge, _Saya concluded as she slipped off their bed and walked over to the armoire containing her clothes.

As she crossed the short distance, she barely felt it as she gave birth to a pair of premature Workers. The action not even causing her to break stride. They hit the ground as barely recognizable fetuses but thanks to her power, their growth continued at a hyper accelerated rate even outside the womb such that by the time she swung the cupboard door open they were already getting onto their fully developed feet.

"Diva, go ready the ship for emergency launch. I'll lead the defense."

She felt Diva's pout through the Hivemind even as her sister spoke to her telepathically.

_I can help you fight! _The blue Queen insisted.

Turning away from pulling out a dress, Saya leveled her still pregnant sister a serious look.

"No, you will not." Saya said with finality. "If I die, the immature offspring that you're carrying can be morphed into Queens and ensure our species' survival. We can't afford to risk that."

Diva looked mutinous, but Saya continued to shoot her a stern glare. It look a minute, but eventually the blue Queen nodded in agreement.

Satisfied, Saya slipped on her dress, the Workers she'd just birthed helping her. She barely paid any attention to them as they dressed her, the bulk of her focus instead directed to coordinating her forces as they fought to defend their Hive.

She had a battle to win. Their species' survival depended on it.

* * *

Haji had been in the manufactories trying out various weapons in the hopes of finding one to suit his needs when the attack began, he was thus rushing to the surface with a squad of Warriors, all of them augmented by crude cybernetics and energy weapons produced by the manufactories, when he sensed Saya take command of their forces.

_All equipped Warriors form up on me. _Saya ordered, _Let the unequipped keep the wizards occupied for now and buy us some time._

Heeding her command, Haji led his squad to the central gallery of the Hive. There he found his Queen standing at the head of almost a hundred Warriors, all equipped with the finest equipment the Hive could produce with their limited resources. Around them, still unaugmented Warriors streamed pass them, heading to the surface in a bid to pin the wizards down.

"Saya," Haji called out to his liege as he walked to stand by her stand.

The red Queen just nodded, her eyes closed as she presumably observed the situation topside through the vision of their Warriors already engaging the enemy.

"We have them pinned," Saya said at long last. "Exactly where we want them too, right above us."

Haji looked up and noticed that there was a large closed opening directly above them. It was one whose construction had baffled Haji when Saya had first ordered it, but he now realized she must have intended to function as a trap of some kind from the get go.

_Ingenious. _Haji noted as he joined the already dispersing Warriors as they took up positions behind cover that would allow them to encircle anything that would fall through the opening above.

Once everyone was in position, Saya blurred to the controls for the opening and activated it. The various teeth like panels that held it closed immediately slid into their housings, leaving the thin layer of earth above them completely unsupported. Obeying the laws of physics, the earth and the dozens of wizards above collapsed into the Hive.

A few of them reacted quickly and with the use of some spell or other managed to arrest their fall, but the majority fell to their deaths. Even those who avoided this fate, soon found themselves caught in a deadly crossfire as hundreds of plasma bolts were sent their way by the many Warriors lining the bottom of the newly created pit. Of the six or so that managed to survive the fall, only two managed to find cover among the mounds of earth that fell with them before they were torn to shreds by the plasma fire. Of course one of these, had to be _the killer_.

_Advance! _Haji heard Saya order, and watched as a dozen of the Warriors obeyed. Marching out from behind their cover they stalked forward with their shoulder mounted, turreted plasma repeaters laying down heavy suppressive fire as they closed to kill the surviving wizards. One of them, a woman foolishly poked her head out from her cover presumably to fire a spell only to have Haji throw one of the knives he'd picked out earlier at the manufactories through an eye and into her brain.

_The killer _however remained safely under his cover, even as the sustained plasma bombardment steadily ate away at the hill of earth that he was cowering behind.

Haji felt the urge to blur forward and pull him out from behind his makeshift fortification like the coward he was but a wordless order for restraint issued forth from Saya that urged caution stopped him. This inaction on his part saved his life as suddenly from behind _the killer_'s earthen mound there suddenly shot out a massive serpent made entirely of unnatural flame that was infused with a great deal of Ascended energy.

This supernatural fire lashed out at the lead Warriors like it was truly a living serpent, wrapping itself around them and constricting. Their admittedly subpar shields barely held a moment before shattering before the strength and heat emitted by the construct, their flesh succumbing moments later.

"Hahahaha!" _The killer _laughed uproariously. "So fiendfyre kills you lot just as well as the killing curse huh? Well, have more of a taste of it then!"

In response to his words, the fire mutated. From the original monstrous serpent's flanks there emerged a gigantic pack of fiery beasts: more flaming serpents, chimaeras, and dragons split off and unleashed their flaming unnatural fury upon the gathered Warriors.

In seconds, the tide had turned against them. What had had been a one-sided massacre of the wizards transforming into a burning hell for the Chiropterans as _the killer_'s fiendfyre consumed them alive.

A large boar like mass of magical flame charged at Haji but he simply spread his wings and leapt over it, the quartet of Warriors behind him however were too slow and were stampeded and then burnt to a crisp before they could follow his lead.

Swerving to avoid a flaming bird that sought to impale its beak through his chest, Haji scanned the area for any sign of Saya. He found his Queen busy trying to fight her way through the firestorm _the killer_ had created while using her Ascended powers to smother any flaming construct that neared her.

_Saya, what are you doing? _Haji called out in alarm even as he tried to dive towards her, only to be forced to change course once more to avoid the flaming bird from earlier.

_He's only one man! If I kill him, then this is over. _Saya insisted as she got ever closer to the dangerous wizard.

This did not go unnoticed by said wizard who now stood, surrounded by the coils of his original fiery creation and looked at Saya with dawning comprehension.

"So you're these _things' _leader, eh girl?" The wizard said with contempt. "Well, that just means that if I kill you this'll all be over."

"Funny, I was thinking the same thing about you." Saya said as she blurred forward, intent to stab the human.

But before she could reach him, he spun on the heel of his feet and disappeared with a popping sound. Saya's rapier thrust instead into the flaming body of the snake, her aura of Ascended power smothering it. Not that it was any consolation when it left her at wandpoint of _the killer_ who had rematerialized right behind her.

"Die! _Avada_-"

_Not on my life!_

Ignoring the pesky bird trying to keep him away, Haji called on all the speed his nature as a Chevalier gifted him and dove to his Queen's aid. This forced him to blur right through the flaming bird and at least one other construct, covering his body in massive, painful burns but those were inconsequential. Not when Saya's life was at stake.

With a massive impact Haji slammed into the ground beside the man, the force of which knocking the human off his feet and with it his aim.

-_Kedavra!" _

The man's spell shot wide and flew back out into the night sky. Haji felt more than saw or heard as his startled Queen blurred away to safety, even as despite his still healing injuries he grabbed a hold of _the killer_'s wand arm and with a single vicious tug ripped the arm clean off.

To his credit, the human didn't scream nor did he collapse to the ground in pain. Somehow he managed to stay standing and drew a new wand with remaining hand. He pointed shakily at Haji, who just looked at him with angry crimson eyes and prepared to finish him off.

Unfortunately this was precisely the moment that the the sound of dozens, no hundreds, of pops resounded from the town above. The wizard's reinforcements had arrived.

_The killer_ knew it too, if the smirk he shot Haji was any indication.

The Chevalier was tempted to wipe that smirk off his face. It would be so easy. All he needed to do was blur forward and impale his claws into his chest and rip his heart out. The man was already half-dead, there was little he could do to stop him.

It was however not to be.

_Haji! Leave him! We need to retreat! Now! _Saya ordered.

Haji growled in frustration but was unwilling and unable to resist a direct command from his Queen, thus he blurred away to join her as she made her way to the ship.

As she did, he caught one last infuriating sight of the killer. He was smiling victoriously.

* * *

A still naked Diva rubbed her swollen belly nervously, as she waited impatiently on the bridge of their escape ship for her sister. They were rushing to prepare to launch but were hampered by the ship's hasty construction making many systems finicky, but even if they were able to do so the blue Queen wouldn't. Because Saya _still _had not come.

_Hurry up, Saya! Hurry up!_

Diva thought to herself in a repeating mantra as she watched the fight with the wizards through the eyes of the Warriors.

She felt grim satisfaction as the wizards fell for her sister's trap and the majority of them died, only to be overcome by horrified shock as _the killer _single handedly turned the tide with that fire spell of his.

She gasped and the blood froze in her veins as he managed to catch Saya at wand point and sighed in relief when Haji saved her. A relief that only grew as her sister _finally _ordered a retreat, even if it meant that she left the majority of their surviving Warriors as a sacrificial rearguard in the process.

_None of that mattered so long as Saya was alright. _Diva thought to herself as she blurred to the airlock and threw herself into her sister's arms as she walked on board. Saya opened her mouth to reassure her, but Diva was having none of that. She pulled her lover into a passionate kiss, and took her reassurance for herself.

Much to Diva's frustration however Saya's only kissed back distractedly and quickly pulled away. She could sense Saya issuing orders to the crew, checking if all was ready for launch. Diva might have been offended that her sister hadn't trusted her to carry out her half of their plan, but was too overjoyed that Saya was safe to care. So she just pressed herself into the red Queen's side and basked in her presence.

Saya absently wrapped her arm around her shoulder and her hand inadvertently landed on her breasts and ghosted against her nipple, causing Diva to let out a breathy excited breath. This caught her sister's attention at last, and she rolled her eyes.

"Diva why are you running around naked again?"

_Honestly, why is that a big deal? It's not like we're humans. _Diva replied telepathically with a shrug. _The lesser castes walk around nude their whole lives!_

"We're not having this conversation again now." Saya said with a sigh. "But we will when we have the time."

With that said, the red Queen closed her eyes and spread her awareness to touch every Chiropteran on board the ship.

"_**Hurry up! I want us to take off yesterday**__!_" She commanded, both verbally and via the Hivemind causing all her subjects to obey and turn to their tasks with renewed vigour.

* * *

Back at the pit trap, Javert was busy working to get his second wind back. Casting a number of borderline forbidden spells on himself to bring himself to something resembling fighting trim, he let the magic settle within his system as he considered what he needed to do.

The area here was safe for now, the reinforcements having flown down on brooms like screaming angry Veelas to blast the handful of Warriors in the pit that had survived his fiendfyre to pieces. The beasts' fancy shields not able to stand up against the raw power of dozens of wizards and witches fueled by righteous fury.

_But that won't be enough to stop this menace. No, in order to do that we'll need to cut off the head of the snake. That 'girl'! I need to kill that thing! _

Fueled by this realization, Javert pushed himself back to his feet.

"Sir, you shouldn't be moving, you need to-"

Javert cut the mediwitch off with a dismissive wave of his remaining hand.

"What I need, girl, is to finish this."

With that grim statement he marched off towards where he could hear the fighting. Despite his bravado though, he was exhausted and he barely made it to a run as he raced down the tunnels the creatures had dug. If he was still the man he was before he'd first heard about these Chiropterans, he might have felt curiosity at the perfectly smooth walls of their tunnels or the myriad of mysterious machinery that ran their length. But that man was long gone.

_Pathetic! _Thought to himself with disgust as his slow pace allowed a squad of newbies to catch up to him presumably with the intent to serve as his backup.

As they neared the fighting though, Javert pushed aside his self-deprecation. Already, he could see the bodies of dozens of fine witches and wizards killed by the abominations and their twisted new fire spitting cannons.

"If you like fire so much, you beasts, try some of mine." Javert roared, as without even breaking stride he leveled his wand at the barricade the monsters had set up and unleashed a torrent of fiendfyre.

As the fiery lions and manticores mauled the accursed creatures to death with their flesh eating flames, they at his command also cut a path for him. Running through this opening he made, he continued down the hallway. He lost his 'backup' in the process, the lot of them freezing in shock at his use of dark magic. Like it mattered what type of magic he used so long as it killed the Chiropterans?

"_Point Me Chiropteran._" Javert cast the unique variant of the Four-Point Spell he'd created. Instead of pointing North like the regular spell, this variant caused his wand to point towards the highest concentration of the magic that powered the creatures. It was short ranged and hadn't been useful in tracking them cross-country, but inside their own lair? It was perfect.

_And I'm betting there's no bigger pool of that than their leader._

Following the directions of his spell, Javert easily navigated the maze of tunnels the Chiropterans has created. He was met with resistance on occasion, but nothing a little application of fiendfyre and the killing curse couldn't solve. They nevertheless slowed him down and it took him the better part of ten minutes before he found himself before a sturdy looking door.

Not that a mere door would stop him

"_Bombarda Maxima!_" He cast, blasting the door completely out of its housing and flying onto the catwalk beyond which amazingly did not collapse under its clearly hefty weight. Javert might have been impressed, if he was not so thoroughly consumed by his hatred for the structure's creators.

Instead, he rushed out onto the catwalk expecting perhaps to find himself overlooking some vast self-aggrandizing audience chamber or vile laboratory as befitting the twisted witch that would create monstrosities like the Chiropterans, but instead found that the catwalk merely encircled a large room. At the center of which sat a large arrowhead shaped construct that filled up most of the massive chamber.

_What is that thing? _Javert thought, a deep sense of uneasiness filling him at the sight of it. _Whatever it is, I need to destroy it!_

Decision made, he began searching for a way down but was suddenly blinded by a intense burst of blue light. Shielding his eyes with his hand, he turned towards its source: the construct. Through the intense light, he could barely make out what looks like a literal tear in reality as the thing floated into the air before shooting through the tear.

_Was that just my imagination? _

As the spots in his eyes cleared and his vision returned to normal, it showed that much to his chagrin he was wrong.

The construct was gone.

* * *

**The Earthside adventures of Saya and Diva are done! Hooray!**

**It's time for the Chiropterans to go make a name for themselves on the galactic scene. How will they do so? Keep reading to find out!**

**Beyond that, I want to admit now that we've seen the last of Earth for now. Namely about Javert's characterization. I didn't do this consciously, but as I wrote this chapter I realized I was taking a lot of cues about how to have him behave from the titular protagonist of the Goblin Slayer anime. I dunno about you, but to me this actually seems to have him a better character. Agree? Disagree? Let me know.**

**Okay, it's unfortunately rant time again. Not more than two chapters aka two days after asking people not to be pushy with their suggestions I get my first case of exactly that. Ugh. The reviewer even starts off nice enough but once I reject them twice (because their interpretations of canon don't fit with mine which I'm naturally using in this AU & his arguments were unconvincing to me) and tell them to stop again twice, they suddenly turn around and put words in my mouth by falsely claiming that I said they were offensive & a flamer! Then proceeding to moralize about how I can only be a better person and writer by being more open to criticism? Seriously!? Anyways~! I just want to ask any other people with suggestions to please be more mature and civil. Okay, rant over.**

**Till next time, ciao.**


	5. Old Enemies

**Disclaimer: I don't own Blood+, Harry Potter or Stargate.**

**The Wars of Legends**

**Book 2: Bats Rising**

**Chapter Five: Old Enemies**

**Beta:  
**

* * *

Their escape ship had barely been in hyperspace for more than a few minutes when with a lurch their tunnel through the alternate dimension collapsed and they were propelled back into normal space.

"What happened?" Saya demanded as she leaned against a console on the bridge that she'd grabbed hold of to keep her balance.

_The hyperdrive has failed. _The Worker manning the engineering console informed her through the Hivemind.

"I've got that." Saya said with a sigh -_Talk about stating the obvious!_\- as she walked over to check on her pregnant sister, who had been helpfully saved from a tumble by one of their Warriors. "Where are we then? And Diva, are you alright?"

_It appears we're in Martian orbit. _The Worker at Astronavigation helpfully supplied.

"I'm fine, sister." Diva reassured her at the same time.

"Please tell me we're at the far side at least, so no one from Earth can see us through a telescope." Saya said, while nodding at her sister in acknowledgement.

_That appears to be the case._

Saya felt a sigh in relief at that minor miracle. It could prove potentially problematic for Earth's development down the road if they were spotted, which in turn would cause issues for any plans they might have for returning to their homeworld in the future.

Her relief from earlier was however short lived.

"How long will repairs take?"

_A couple hours at least. _The Worker at Engineering told her apologetically while radiating apprehension.

It seems its anxiety was warranted, as he had barely sent his reply when the sound of an alarm filled the bridge.

"What's going on?" Diva asked in a worried voice, her arms wrapped around her swollen belly protectively.

_Incoming hyperspace signature. _The Worker at sensors replied immediately. _At current course it'll re-enter material space right on top of us._

The two Chiropteran Queens exchanged worried looks at this development.

* * *

_Who in the world? _Diva thought with trepidation as a much larger ship with a hammer shaped bow, a pair of wings and a grayish hull emerged from hyperspace directly ahead of them.

_It's hailing us. _The communications console Worker informed them.

Saya shot her twin another worried look, and Diva sent her a burst of confidence though considering her own anxiety it was weak at best. It nevertheless seemed to buoy Saya somewhat and she nodded to the Worker to accept the communications link.

A few keystrokes later and the bridge's central viewscreen was filled with the the image of a being with grayish skin, small, skinny limbs, a large head and black eyes sitting on a throne made of a metal that resembled chrome.

_I don't recognize its race. _Diva thought, confused. _Is it a new race that evolved while we slumbered?_

Her confusion was dispelled however, as the being introduced himself.

"I am Thor, Supreme Commander of the Asgard Fleet." The diminutive creature, no more than the size of a Worker, greeted in an commanding voice and in perfect French thanks to their translation software.

The blue Queen sucked in a fearful breath at the name Asgard, as she instinctively flashbacked to a scene deeply embedded in her genetic memory. A memory that had terrified her ancestors for generations even as they lived through it as a reality: the sight of rank upon countless rank of Asgard warriors in their advanced power armor devastating her people's most fearsome warrior breeds during the Extinction War.

The mere recollection of the ancient memory had her trembling frightfully.

Though was it even the same race? There were similarities between this being and their ancient foes, like the massive head but the differences far outweighed them. They also seemed to still be speaking the same language, if their translator were working. But where was the lanky, muscular frame? They used to stand at over two meters tall, yet if the size readings on the image's display was to be believed this Thor being was bare half that in height.

Despite these differences though, the mere prospect that it might be the same Asgard sent a shiver down Diva's spine. In contrast to that, Saya had amazingly managed to maintain her calm even as they were faced with one of the leaders of a race that could possibly have been one of those instrumental in their near-extinction.

"Greetings, Commander Thor." She said, as if this was nothing more than a regular first contact.

The Asgard, if that was what he really was, just nodded at the greeting though he seemed to radiate some surprise at Saya's show of manners. At least that was if the genetic memory of Asgard body language was applicable.

Whether accurate or not, Thor didn't let whatever he was feeling derail him from his purpose.

"Why are Genestealers in the Sol system?" He demanded, his eyes narrowed in suspicion.

_He used our old name. _Diva realized as her blood froze. It was another point in favor of Thor truly being a member of the Asgard who had almost saw them wiped out so long ago.

"It is our home system," Saya explained confidently, unruffled by the alien's hostility. "We were resurrected as a species on Earth, our homeworld."

"I find that hard to believe," Thor said skeptically, leaning back and his voice dropping into a low tone.

_Well at least I know that we can still read their body language correctly._

"I would be more likely to believe that you have come from whatever bolthole you used to escape the Extinction War to conquer it and convert its people." Thor accused belligerently.

It was a ludicrous suggestion, especially with the human loving Saya as one of their Swarm Queens. But Thor didn't know that and thinking back on their ancestors that he was likely more familiar with, it was sadly a wholly plausible plan they might have carried out.

Saya didn't seemed to agree though and openly scoffed at his words.

_Saya! Be careful!_ Diva warned her sister telepathically.

_Don't worry, I know what I'm doing._

"Really? That's the best hypothesis you can come up with for us being here?" Saya countered mockingly. "If it was our intent to conquer Earth, which I'll say now it is _not_! Then why would would be in orbit of another planet with a partially disabled ship? Trace our hyperspace trail. You'll see we were _leaving_ Earth, not heading towards it."

Thor was thoughtful for a moment.

"I concede the point," he said at last. "Though if what you say about Earth being your homeworld is true, why then are you leaving it?"

"Earth is a heavily populated. It cannot comfortably support both us and its human population. If we are to expand and rebuild our civilization, we need to seek out a new home elsewhere."

"You could have done that by conquering the planet." Thor pointed out, blinking in confusion. Apparently he could not wrap his head around the fact that they didn't want to cause undue harm to the humans.

"We don't want to!" Saya said, her frustration at the alien getting the better of her. "I grew up as a human and as far as possible I don't want to hurt them. Earth is theirs and I'll respect that. Why can't you understand that?"

"You have not said so," Thor said in a deadpan that in his kind translated into shock.

"Oh," Saya said, with an embarrassed blush. Something which seemed to surprise the Asgard even more if the way he subtly tilting his head was any indication.

"That said, I find your claim unbelievable."

Through the Hivemind, Diva knew Saya was ready to say something unkind. Her frustration at the Asgard's distrust close to boiling over.

_I better step in._

"What can we do to convince you then?" Diva asked before Saya could say anything.

Thor once more fell into a thoughtful silence, even closing his eyes in a indication of deep thought. When he opened them, they shined with a glimmer of restrained hope.

_Strange. What is he thinking?_

"A gesture of goodwill," the self-proclaimed Supreme Commander said. "Provide such and prove that you mean no harm."

"What would suffice?" Saya asked, annoyance still lacing her tone. "This ship is all we have and as you can see we are rather lacking in resources at the moment."

The Asgard glanced to his side, presumably to consult a console that displayed his sensor readings on their hastily cobbled together ship.

"Then perhaps a gift of your much vaunted technology instead?"

Saya seethed, and was on the verge of disagreeing. Diva could commiserate. Considering their circumstances, the technological knowledge they had stored in their genetic memory was their most precious resource and she was loathe to part with any of it. Especially just gifting it for nothing in return to one of their ancient foes.

_But needs must._

"Commander Thor, we would be willing to gift anything to you if it would show you our honest intentions." Diva cut in to assure the Asgard.

Simultaneously, she chided Saya telepathically.

_Sister, stop gambling with the survival of our species! Do not forget that not only are we both onboard this ship, but so are our daughter Queens in my womb! If he destroys us, our kind goes extinct!_ Diva sent to her sister while rubbing her belly meaningfully.

Saya briefly glanced at the blue Queen's swollen abdomen at that before turning back to the Supreme Commander.

"What technology would the mighty Asgard like from us?"

Thor blinked in surprise, probably not expecting them to cave in so easily.

_He probably doesn't realize how desperate we are. _Diva concluded, shifting uneasily at the epiphany. _This was why Saya was playing hard ball wasn't it? She was hoping to exploit this._

_Yes, _Saya's confirming reply made Diva feel like a fool. Her actions had likely just cost them a more lucrative deal.

"Keron manipulation," Thor said, composing himself. "Hand over everything you know on the subject as a goodwill gesture and I will be willing to accept your claims about your intentions."

_Keron manipulation? Why would he want that?_ Diva thought confused by the odd request.

Why would the Asgard want technology regarding this particular exotic energy particle, when as far as they knew its only known use was exploiting its quantum properties to facilitate communications over interstellar distances.

_It doesn't make sense. The Asgard have had hyperspace communications for millennium, and that's a more cost effective technology by far._

_Maybe they discovered another use for it? _Saya suggested whilst replying to Thor verbally.

"You have a deal, Supreme Commander. Though I must admit that we do not have much on this front, just the basics on how to manipulate Keron particles."

This seemed to disappoint the Asgard, but he nevertheless persisted in his questioning.

"Do you have any means to disrupt Keron Quantum entanglement?"

"We do," Saya said after a moment of checking their genetic memory. "We developed them as countermeasures to the Keron-based communications used by some Hives and races in the Extinction War."

Thor's shoulders fell, a sign of relief in his race. Though it was subtle and Diva couldn't be sure with the changed physiology of his race whether her assessment was correct.

"That is more than enough," Thor assured them. "Hand over the data on Keron manipulation and the countermeasures you mentioned. Once I've received them, we may begin further negotiations."

"Further negotiations?"

"About relations between our peoples and your place in the galaxy." Thor informed them. "Much has changed since your kind last walked the stars, and we will have much to discuss."

Saya frowned, displeased that the Asgard wasn't just letting them go.

_This is an opportunity though, _Diva sent to her twin. _He can fill us in on the current state of the galaxy, and maybe we can even establish friendly relations, even trade, with the Asgard._

_You're right._ Saya sent back.

"That sounds reasonable," Saya told the Asgard. "But it will take us time transcribe the data you want from our genetic memory into a data format that can be readily transferable."

"How long?"

"A couple of days," Diva informed him.

"Very well," Thor said with a decisive nod. "Until then you are to remain where you are. Failure to comply will result in you being fired upon."

_We're his prisoners then. _Saya noted with disgust.

_It's better than being dead. Besides if things work out well, this whole thing might prove beneficial in the long run._

_If…_

_Saya, don't be a pessimist._

_Yes, Diva._

Acting as if their telepathic conversation hadn't even happened, Saya gave the Asgard a cool nod. "We understand."

"Then I'll contact you again once I've received the data. Till then, Genestealer Queens." With a formal bow, the Asgard cut the communications link.

The moment the viewscreen blanked out, Saya turned to the Worker at the engineering station.

"Can we escape the Asgard ship once the hyperdrive is repaired?"

_Negative. _The Worker replied with an apologetic shake of its head. _Just based on passive scans the Asgard ship's hyperdrive is powerful enough that even with our own drive at full power we would still not be able to escape it._

"We're really trapped then." Saya concluded through gritted teeth.

Diva walked up to her and squeezed her arm consolingly.

"Think on the bright side, Saya." Haji said, as he finally spoke up now that the negotiations had ended and decorum allowed him. "As long as we're still alive, we can work on a way to escape our predicament."

Diva nodded to the usually taciturn Chevalier's sage observation, and gently tugged on her twin's arm.

"In the meantime though, we best get started on transcribing the data the Asgard wanted." Diva informed her grumpy but resigned sister as she pulled her in the direction of their chambers

* * *

Three days later, Saya's mood was much improved as she looked through the viewscreens on her ship's bridge at the larger Asgard _Bilskirnir_-class ship that was towing them through hyperspace towards their new world.

She was honestly surprised at the Asgard's generosity during the negotiations. Apparently whatever they wanted the Keron-tech for must have been important because upon receipt of it they had become willing to offer things that Saya couldn't believe they ever would.

Not only had they agreed to spare them and stop seeing them as an enemy, but they had even agreed to help bring them to a new world where they could re-establish themselves. And all they had asked for in exchange was that once they were ready that the Swarm help them in enforcing their Protected Planets Treaty.

Which was no burden at all since it was something Saya, at least, would have readily agreed to. Especially once she learned from the Asgard who the Treaty protected these worlds against. The very idea of these Goa'uld and their enslaving practices disgusted her and she longed to see them rendered extinct.

Diva was surprisingly of a very different mind though, she cared nothing for the Goa'uld or their practices so long as they weren't stupid enough to extend their attentions to themselves. She was however appalled at the mere thought of rendering any race extinct.

They had even had one of their rare arguments over the issue, before coming to a consensus that in the end it didn't matter since their deal with the Asgard obligated them to enforce the Protected Planets Treaty regardless. Consideration of further action against the Goa'uld would be deferred until such action was possible, their agreement didn't sit well with Saya but the makeup sex she had with Diva to consummate it certainly took the edge off her displeasure.

She was brought out of her thoughts as the hyperspace tunnel they had traveling through began to open up into material space and they both transited out of the alternate dimension into the orbit of a untouched world. At a glance, it fit Thor's description of Earth-like quite nicely though if that same set of data was to be correct it was slightly larger and had a higher gravity.

_Receiving a hail from Supreme Commander Thor._

_Put it on screen. _Saya ordered the Worker at comms as she glanced at Diva, dressed in a loose fitting maternity dress to accommodate her pregnancy, looked on entranced by the planet being displayed on the viewscreens.

"Greetings Queen Saya, Queen Diva," Thor greeted with a customary nod.

"Supreme Commander," the red Queen returned for the both of them, Diva still being too busy admiring their new world to respond.

"As agreed in our negotiations, this world is now yours."

"You have our thanks, Thor."

The Asgard merely nodded.

"I must take my leave now," the commander said, sounding genuinely regretful that he had to depart so soon. "But I hope to see you soon. May your people grow strong once more."

"And may yours continue to thrive," Saya offered in turn.

Thor gave them one last bow, before he cut communications.

_The Biliskner is breaking orbit and entering hyperspace. _

Saya ignored the sensors Worker's report, instead choosing to join Diva in surveying the world they had been gifted. As they cruised towards the verdant and highly mountainous world ahead of them at maximum sublight, Diva cuddled into her side.

Together they stared at their new home with hope and wonder.

* * *

**And done!**

**No action this chapter just set-up for the things to come. I hope you guys don't mind.**

**Now there's actually a big change to Stargate canon that happened in this chapter. Anyone spotted it? If you did, please share in the reviews.**

**That's it for this chapter, till next time, ciao!**


	6. New Beginnings

**Disclaimer: I don't own Blood+, Harry Potter or Stargate.**

**The Wars of Legends**

**Book 2: Bats Rising**

**Chapter Six: New Beginnings**

**Beta:  
**

* * *

**Trigger warnings: Public Nudity, mentions of Incest**

It had been over a year since the Chiropterans had settled their new world of Chiroptera and Diva was conducting an inspection tour of the various facilities they had built since planetfall. Naked as she preferred, the blue Queen was walking through a lush orchard, one of the many farms that they had set up using seeds and breeding stock they had brought with them from Earth.

Such tours were necessary as even though they could psychically dominate any member of their Hive and use theirs senses for themselves, this limited their ability to perceive things to the member's range of senses. Furthermore, directly dominating multiple lower castes to combine their limited senses to make up the difference put a strain on their minds and left them with debilitating headaches. As such it was just more efficient to conduct the occasional inspection in person to check up on things.

_We really should create more Chevaliers or Viziers, it would make our lives so much easier. Haji is an able fighter and attendant, but he's not cut out for administrative tasks. _Diva noted with a frown as she stopped to admire a line of Workers picking the juicy looking apples from the trees in a neighboring orchard.

Usually she conducted such inspections alongside her twin but today at least Saya was off spending time with their young daughter Queens. She'd said something about going on a hike through the woods, prompting Diva to beg off. She couldn't see what was so interesting exploring the woodlands. She was honestly a little confused why Aimée and Anastasie would agree to it but at one year old and developmentally equivalent to human eighteen year olds, Diva wasn't going to second guess their choice. They were practically adults already.

Instead she had happily waved her family off and took up Saya's share of the duties of running their growing Hive in the meantime.

Done with the farms she blurred away to the Birthing Chambers. These were were large underground rooms the Workers had carved out of the bedrock into a mountain which served to house the Broodmothers.

As she walked down the central passageway of one such chamber. She observed the various Broodmothers birth whole broods of infant Workers or Warriors at a time. Thanks to the tireless efforts of these breeders, in the year or so since they've settled on this world the Hive had grown immensely. Helped along by she and Saya birthing hundreds of Broodmothers.

The Broodmothers were limited to lower castes and could only asexually birth a new brood every week though, so their growth wasn't quite exponential. Sadly their broods also lacked the hyper accelerated growth that Queens could engender in those they birthed, though they still reached maturity and became contributing members of the Hive within weeks. Nevertheless thanks to the constant birthing they were enjoying a population boom as hundreds of Workers and Warriors were being born every day.

Looking around she saw that the Broodmothers were being well tended to, with each being watched over by a squad of six Workers who tended to their every need leaving their charges to merely lay on comfortable beds and focus on the task of producing the next generation.

Satisfied with the conditions in the Birthing Chambers, Diva left to inspect the Manufactories next. Arriving in the customary blue blur that accompanied her high speed movement, she found herself in another set of caverns dug into the mountains themselves. These were however built slightly closer to the surface and on the same level as the Hive's living quarters.

Before her the blue Queen could see hundreds of Workers toiling in the large cave as they slaved over dozens of matter recombinators and other equipment that made up the production lines to produce a whole range of technological marvels that the people of Earth would be astounded by should they ever encounter them.

Walking slowly through the maze of workstations and maglev conveyor belts, she entered an alcove off to the side of the central work floor and inspected the outfitting of one of her Warriors with his cybernetics, including his personal shield and arm and shoulder mounted plasma repeaters. Unlike the crude equipment they'd built on Earth these matched the standards of those used by their ancestors in the Extinction War.

Looking on, she smiled with pride as the trio of Workers scuttling all over the larger Warrior's body finished their work and scurried off. The Warrior sent them a burst of thanks through the Hivemind even as it moved over to an adjacent firing range.

Trailing behind it, Diva watched as it came to a stop in front of a large boulder set up at the butt of the range and proceeded to reduce it into a misshapen mess after a sustained volley from the pair of turreted plasma repeaters on his shoulders. To cap the weapons test, it raised its right forearm and fired off a shot from the heavy plasma cannons mounted there, reducing half of the melted remains of the boulder into little more than broken shards. It swiftly repeated the motion but with the cannons on its left arm this time, completely shattering the remaining half as well.

_Most impressive. _Diva thought to the local node of the Hivemind which encompassed the various Workers that manned the Manufactory. It practically preened in response to her praise, bringing a smile to her face.

_How many sets of this equipment can you produce daily? _She asked the exuberant collective of Workers.

_A hundred standard sets, our Queen. A dozen of the heavy variant you just observed. _It replied in the united mental voice of its many Workers.

_Very good. _Diva congratulated the collective. _That should more than keep up with our growing population. We might have to switch you over to production of some consumer goods soon._

The Swarm didn't need much consumer goods, but that didn't mean they didn't want it. There were a whole range of quality of life improvements that a handful of gadgets could offer a Chiropteran and with the excess production available, there was no reason not to provide their children the luxury. And if they were still facing a surplus at that point, then they would just redeploy the Workers to mining and stockpile resources for later use. Or perhaps they would be retasked to research and development where the innate problem solving skills that made Workers such able engineers could be put to use to advance the Swarm's technology. There were always work to be done in a Chiropteran Hive.

_Congratulations on your efficiency. _Diva told the Workers, earning a wordless but sincere burst of jubilation from them in response.

Still sporting a pleasant smile, Diva withdrew from her direct connection with the Manufactory Hivemind node, the action reminding her of her sister's preference for verbal communication over telepathy.

_She really is still too human at times. _Diva mused with an amused shake of her head at Saya's quirk.

She understood the allure of it sometimes, especially in bed when Saya whispers sweet nothings or said something that set her blood boiling with lust, but in most situations communication via telepathy was just so much more convenient.

Shaking her head at her sister's endearingly foolish tendency to cling to her false humanity, Diva headed to the hangars where they have began building a fleet of ships. Coming to a stop on a catwalk, she looked down at a series of ten bays where many thousands of Workers were scrambling over the hulls of ten large ships putting the finishing touches on their first squadron of battleships

Each ship was slightly larger than even the Asgard's _Bilskirnir_-class ships and were shaped like two flattened tetrahedrons that were connected by a narrow cuboid section, the frontal section of which ended in a firing array for the ship's main weapon.

_Looks like we'll be a true interstellar power once more soon._

* * *

Saya, Diva, and their daughter Queens Aimée and Anastasie while shadowed by an ever vigilant Haji stood in a command centre of the Hive complex as they prepared to observe the launch of their new fleet.

As the Workers completed the final system checks on the ships, Saya took the opportunity to glance at Diva and couldn't resist smirking as her sister pouted and fidgeted uncomfortably in the beautiful blue dress with an draped ankle-length skirt, a fashionable looking chemisette and boots that she'd convinced her to wear for the day.

_I can't understand Diva's dislike for wearing clothes when she looks absolutely stunning when dressed up. _Saya mused idly. _Not to say she isn't utterly captivating when nude but there was just a different kind of allure when she put in an effort to get dressed._

Turning away from her lover to look at her daughters she was pleased that they hadn't inherited their other mother's tendency towards being a nudist.

They were dressed in identical dresses that accentuated the fashionably low, tiny waists and low busts that their corsets granted them. Their skirts were made fuller through the use of a bustle and was decorated by various frills and bows. They differentiated only in their choice of colours with Aimée going with yellow to match her eyes and Anastasie choosing purple for the same reason.

The two girls were practically clones of Diva and herself, a result of them being born before their parents had really had a chance to sample new genetic material.

"Mama, is it really _that _uncomfortable?" Aimée asked Diva teasingly.

The blue Queen just pouted in reply and fidgeted some more.

"We'll take that as a yes," Anastasie chimed in with a laugh. "Though you know it's only that way because you always run around naked, right? You're just not used to it."

If possible Diva's pout grew even more sulky, which just caused Saya to smirk.

_See Diva, even our little girls think you're silly for walking around skyclad all the time. _Saya sent, adding her two cents to the teasing.

Thankfully for the blue Queen, before anymore could be said on the matter Haji cleared his throat to catch the four Queens' attention.

Dressed as always in a butler's uniform, he offered them a bow as they turned to him and said, "The ships are ready and waiting for their command."

Saya offered her old friend a thankful nod.

"_**Launch!" **_Saya ordered verbally and through the Hivemind at the same time.

The Chiropteran royals all turned to the command centre's viewscreen at Saya's command and watched the projected display of a pair of battleships slowly flying out of their hangars and climbing into the atmosphere at a steadily increasing speed.

As the lead ships achieved orbit, the next two ships followed in turn. Two at time, the new battleships rose into orbit until all ten ships formed a diamond shaped holding pattern over the Hive Complex.

"Diva, why are we risking all ten of their ships at once again?" Saya asked, surprised that that their whole fleet was being deployed for testing at the same time. Next to her, she saw Aimée and Anastasie nod in agreement with her concerned question.

"Oh, don't be so worried. Have more confidence in Chiropteran engineering." Diva waved dismissively by way of an answer.

Saya frowned at the non-answer but nonetheless accepted it knowing she'd get nothing more out of her twin.

"Right, then let's move on with the next phase of the tests. _**Power up you hyperdrives!**_"

The ships obeyed and she watched as the data feeds on the screen and via the Hivemind reported increasing readiness of the new ships' faster-than-light drives. When they all reported optimal readiness, she gave the order for the lead ship to begin.

"_**Bonaparte jump!**_"

Acting on her directive, the lead battleship jumped to the other side of the system before a moment later jumping back into formation all within the duration of a couple of minutes. Looking at all the data streaming in, Saya couldn't resist a smile.

_Everything is working well._

_In contrast to her restrained response, _beside her Diva and the girls were already rowdily celebrating. Cheering loudly and hugging each other in congratulations.

Ignoring them for the moment, though she happily returned the kiss Diva gave her, Saya ordered the rest of the ships to continue with their own jump tests.

All was going well and the red Queen was sorely tempted to relax and join in her family's celebration when just as the eighth ship was just about to jump back into its start position, an alarm sounded.

Everyone froze in shock.

_What's going on? _Anastasie's worried telepathic question voiced their shared concern.

Acting quickly Saya used the Hivemind to tap into the sensors feeds that had triggered the alarm. They were picking up a ship that according to the warbook Thor provided them was a Goa'uld Al'kesh.

_**Charlemagne, Davout intercept that ship! **_She ordered, causing two battleships to break formation and jumping towards the target.

They didn't make it though as just as the rematerialized into normal space, the smaller ship jumped away to safety.

"Did it get attracted by our hyperdrives?" Aimée asked, into the silence that followed.

"Maybe," Her sister replied. "But how could it have known?"

"They might have been surveying nearby and detected the drive emissions on their long range sensors." Saya suggested.

"That shouldn't be possible." Diva countered. "Unless the ship was within a dozen light years the relatively primitive Goa'uld sensors would not have detected them and if they were so close then we should have detected them first."

"That's if our intelligence on the capabilities of Goa'uld technology is accurate." Saya said with a frown. "Not that any of that matters for the moment. The fact is that we have been detected by the Goa'uld and must now decide what to do."

* * *

Francis Drake, Fleet Lord in service to his mother the System Lord Nimue, sat upon the command throne of his latest flagship, _The Reborn Hind_, as the Ha'tak led the rest of his exploratory fleet consisting of eight Al'kesh and three Shel'taks into the system where just hours ago one of his Al'kesh had jumped in following sensor readings of hyperdrive emissions to discover a colony belonging to an unknown civilization.

His ships had barely cleared the hyperspace window when they were surrounded by a squadron of large ships belonging to the unknowns.

"Hail them," he ordered his comms officer.

The communication link was accepted and Drake found himself facing what appeared to be a sixteen year old human with long hair and startling red eyes. Despite her appearance though, the child of Nimue highly doubted the girl was actually human. Between the aged look in her eyes that reminded him of a Goa'uld and their eons of knowledge and experience and the hulking beasts that flanked her on either side, he would sooner eat his coat than bet on her being anything other than a member of a new race that just looked human.

_Which makes this a first contact. _Drake realized, resisting the urge to groan in displeasure. _I hate being a diplomat, but needs must._

Soldiering on, he offered the girl a formal bow.

"Greetings, my name is Francis Drake, humble servant of the Goa'uld System Lord Nimue. Can you understand me?"

"I understand you just fine, snake." The girl replied in what his systems were telling him was stilted if passable Goa'uld, probably the result of being passed through a translation filter before transmission.

_Between that and the reference to our true bodies, this implies that they have encountered the Goa'uld before. But where? Are they a former slave race? No, surely if someone had encountered a race with as unique a physiology as those beasts would have made mention of it. Though perhaps whoever met them did not survive the encounter._

Considering that his sensors were reporting that their ships were quite powerful indeed, it was certainly possible.

"What do you want?" The girl demanded while Drake pondered the possibilities.

"Merely to establish peaceful contact," the Fleet Lord said carefully. It did not escape his notice that the girl was treating him with a great deal of hostility. Not surprising if her race had previously encountered the Goa'uld. It did mean however that he would have to treat this contact as an exercise of walking on eggshells.

"A likely story."

"I assure you that it's the truth, my lady. If I had come with conquest in mind then I would not have arrived with a fleet that is hopelessly outgunned. On the contrary, wouldn't I have amassed a more powerful force?"

"Perhaps you're the distraction?"

"Would any Goa'uld you're familiar with risk themselves in such a way?" Drake countered. "I would hazard most of my less honorable ilk are far too self-serving and cowardly to do something like that."

"Or too overconfident." The girl spat back, though without the venom she had held at the start. He was finally getting through to her.

"Do I appear overconfident, my lady? Did I not already admit that I am outgunned? I assure you that I'm perfectly aware of the outcome of any battle between our forces."

"And yet you're still here."

"Indeed," Drake agreed.

The girl pursed her lips thoughtfully, before seemingly reaching a decision.

"Let's start over," the red eyed beauty said at last. "My name is Saya, Swarm Queen of the Chiropterans. And you are?"

* * *

Negotiations had proceeded far more smoothly after that and a week later, Drake was pleased to leave Chiroptera with an agreement with the Swarm to at least maintain cordial relations with his mother and to recognize her domain as being separate from the rest of the Goa'uld Empire.

There would be need for follow up talks to work out a trade deal in the future but that's for the diplomats to handle.

All this in exchange for one of the three Chappa'ai he had in his hold that had originally been intended for deployment on worlds he might find that were suitable for colonization. Something that he would have given them as a gesture of goodwill anyways.

The shapeshifters, and wasn't that a fascinating ability for a race to possess, had been leery to take possession of a gate but he'd eventually convinced them. Reasoning that while not having one kept them somewhat safe like they said their Asgard allies told them, it also isolated them from the rest of the galaxy and now that they've been discovered the advantage of isolation was severely compromised. After all they'd already been discovered once. As such it was only a matter of time before they were discovered again, thus it would be better to proactively reach out into the galaxy before it came to them.

All in all, it had been quite a successful first contact.

Still…

"Ah! Finally I can stop playing diplomat!" Drake crowed in satisfaction as his fleet safely transitioned back into hyperspace and away from the Chiropteran homeworld.

"I honestly don't know why you despise it so much, my lord." The woman serving as his executive officer told him with an amused smile. "You're quite good at it."

"Maybe," Drake allowed. "But I don't want to be. I am first and foremost a sailor. Now, let me see those reports on our advanced surveys. I want to see where we should focus our efforts next."

* * *

It has been a week since the fleet of the strangely amicable Goa'uld named Nimue had come and gone, and Saya and Diva were sparring in the woods next to the mountain range where they'd built their Hive complex.

They blurred through through the trees like streaks of red and blue as they tired to swipe at each other with rapiers, occasionally locking swords but mostly scoring glancing hits as they danced around each other and the woods.

Despite having been at it for a fifteen minutes, no clear winner had emerged. Unsurprising, as every wound they dealt each other healed up almost as soon as they were inflicted, leaving the only sign of the intensity of their fight being the increasing number of tears in their clothes.

Unexpectedly it was this fact that ultimately decided the victor. As with one well placed thrust, Diva managed to cut off the last piece of fabric that was holding Saya's loose summer dress up on the right side. Saya let loose an embarrassed squeal as she hastily grabbed at her dress to prevent it from falling off. This left her completely open as Diva threw away her sword and pounced on her, pinning her to the ground.

"Diva, what are you doing?" Saya asked through a chuckle as the blue Queen proceeded to use her advantage not to attack her opponent but instead rip the fabric of Saya's dress over her left shoulder to shreds as well.

That task complete, she began kissing Saya's neck fiercely as she began pulling the dress off the red Queen's body.

"You're such a nymphomaniac," Saya accused her sister who was attempting to give her a hickey despite the impossibility of such an action considering their healing factor.

_You're not pushing me off. _Diva observed slyly as she continued her ministrations.

"I suppose so," Saya agreed as she grabbed a fistful of the back of Diva's own dress and with an application of her superhuman strength ripped it open.

Unfortunately for the libidinous Swarm Queens, their lovemaking were interrupted by the sound of a throat clearing.

The twins paused and turned to see their daughter Queens looking at them with a teasing look on Anastasie's face but an embarrassed one on Aimée's.

"Weren't you supposed to be training?" Anastasie asked with a grin.

"This is training too," Diva replied cheekily. "Training on how to produce more sisters for you."

Anastasie was the only one who laughed at the poor joke, with Aimée rolling her eyes and Saya groaning in exasperation instead.

Not that the cool reception fazed Diva at all. Shamelessly, she got to her feet and let her ruined dress fall off her to stand naked before turning to their daughters.

"Honestly Aimée, you have no room to be embarrassed." Diva said while tut-tutting at the yellow eyed girl. "You have as much sex with Anastasie as I do with your other mother. After all, your Hive keeps growing even though neither of you have birthed a single Broodmother. I mean it's not like we Queens can reproduce asexually."

"W-We've just been been converting the local fauna." Aimée said in a desperate deflection. It was a feeble excuse anyways since few, if any, of the local wildlife would survive the conversion process. It was optimized for sapient life and tended to fail when used on other life forms thus making Aimée's statement highly implausible.

"Don't lie Aimée." Anastasie said as she pinched her sister's arm causing her to squeak in protest, before turning to her parents. "We've been going at it like rabbits."

Aimée blushed like a tomato at the revelation and smacked her sister's arm in retaliation.

It was all in good fun though and everyone had a laugh at Aimée's expense, even Saya as she got up and ripped her own ruined dress off to stand in her camisole with attached knee-length drawers.

The sight of which had Diva rolling her eyes in exasperation.

The family moment was however interrupted when an urgent message was sent to them through the Hivemind.

_Hyperspace communication link inbound from Nimue via the Chappa'ai_. The Command Centre Hivemind node broadcasted to the Swarm.

The whole family stiffened. This was an unscheduled call and knowing Nimue's character, she wouldn't have one without just cause. Whatever she wanted had to be important. Furthermore, the System Lord was trying to minimize direct communications to reduce the chance of discovery of their relationship to the other System Lords, thus the fact that she was contacting them directly left no room for doubt.

In a series of blurs, the four Chiropteran royals rushed back to the Hive complex. Though where Aimée and Anastasie headed directly for the Command Centre, Saya and Diva detoured to their chambers to get dressed first at Saya's insistence.

_This is a waste of time, _Diva whined even as she hurriedly threw on a fresh sundress and followed after her already dressed twin.

_We need to be presentable. _Saya shot back insistently, brooking no argument.

Diva pouted but didn't press the matter. Now was not the time, but one day she would get Saya to stop being so _human _about the clothes thing.

Arriving in the Command Center dressed in simple dresses, the Swarm Queens were greeted with an image of Nimue herself.

"Greetings, Nimue," Saya said on behalf of her family.

"Saya, Diva, girls," the Goa'uld offered in return with a nod of her head.

"What's so important?" Saya asked jumping straight to the point and pass the pleasantries that none of those present enjoyed.

"I'm afraid I come as the bearer of bad news." Nimue confessed. "One of my spies embedded in one of Ra's exploratory fleets reports they have detected your hyperspace emissions."

"What!? How did this happen? What are his forces even doing in this region of space? It's hundreds of light years from his territories." Diva cursed, even as their daughters looked at each other worriedly.

As the only System Lord with relative technological parity to Nimue, Ra's sensors were just as capable of detecting them from outside their own sensor range. Nimue had warned them as much but in the same breath had made it a point to reassure them that he was not operating anywhere near them.

_We really should upgrade our sensors, _Saya thought distractedly as she reeled from this latest disaster.

"I fear that this is likely my fault," Nimue said offering them an apologetic bow. "He appears to be following up on my fleet movements in the area. I had not expected that he would do so considering the distance from his domain and how his supply lines would be stretched thin by operating so far afield. This thus came as much as a surprise to me as it is to you. Nevertheless, I apologize."

"It's alright," Saya said, seeing the logic that had led Nimue to underestimating the Goa'uld Supreme System Lord. "It's just our luck Ra seems to play by his own rules."

"It would appear so." Nimue agreed, smiling weakly at the joke.

"What kind of forces can we expect?"

"Uncertain. Ra is still mobilizing the local System Lords to launch a reconnaissance in force to identify the source of the hyperspace emissions. That said, he's already secured more than a dozen Ha'tak for the mission and almost twice as many Shel'tak and Al'kesh. A force that large would be formidable despite your technological superiority."

"Is there a chance to make peace with this Ra like we did with you?" Aimée asked hopefully.

"No," Nimue said decisively. "No other Goa'uld will tolerate any advanced civilizations. They see them universally as threats. I'm considered quite a deviant for even considering them as potential allies or trading partners."

"Which is why we keep our relationship a secret." Saya reminded her daughters, before returning her attention to the Goa'uld. "What course of action would you suggest?"

"Your only hope is to either evacuate or defeat the force headed your way and establish yourselves as too much of a hassle for the Empire to destroy."

The first option was unpalatable in the extreme. They had just gotten established on Chiroptera and were loathe to abandon all they had built. On the other hand, fighting such a large force and securing a resounding victory was a tall order.

"Can you help us in anyway?" Diva asked, while Saya mulled their options.

"Not much I'm afraid." Nimue informed them with what appeared to be genuine sadness. "All I can really do is keep you apprised of what I learn about the fleet's movements. Anything else might risk open confrontation with the Empire and I cannot afford that."

Saya nodded distractedly, she had expected as much. Nimue had explained her situation at length in the past and the Chiropteran Queen knew that the Goa'uld's hands were tied.

Thus instead of focusing on her answer, Saya with Diva's help was polling the Swarmmind on what decision to take. Saya advocated that they fight while Diva urged that they flee. The poll took only a moment before the fateful decision was cast in stone.

Stepping forward she looked Nimue in the eye and announced their race's decision.

"We'll fight."

Nimue nodded, unsurprised.

"I wish you luck then," the Goa'uld said. "And I hope for the chance at further cooperation _after _your victory. Until then, I'll keep you informed if I learn of any movements in the System Lords' fleet."

With that their ally signed off, leaving the Chiropterans to prepare to defend their homeworld.

* * *

**And done!**

**It's another filler chapter that sets up things to come so no action again. For the action junkies, apologies but it was necessary to set things up.**

**So this chapter we get a deeper glimpse into Chiropteran hive mechanics. Most notable of which is how they make major decisions, namely democratically. Yup, the Swarm is a democracy. One in which each individual has a voice as filtered through and represented by their Queens. Odd considering what's a hive race? Well I think so anyways, at least this particular variant of it. I, at least, don't recall seeing any other hiveminds take this form.**

**Well, I hope you enjoyed my hopefully somewhat original take on a hivemind. **

**Do let me know what you think in a review or PM.**

**Another thing that's revealed this chapter is the level of Goa'uld technology in this AU of mine. After all, canon Goa'uld hyperdrives of this time couldn't have managed what Drake's ships did. While Nimue's ships are more advanced than most Goa'uld ships, all of them are generally better than their canon counterparts from the same time period. This is, of course, a result of having Nimue around to subtly nudge Goa'uld technological development. **

**Review response:**

**So, a lot of people seem to think the Replicators are dealt with simply because the Asgard have keron disruptor tech. That's a little presumptuous, no? I mean the Replicators have consumed much of the Ida galaxy by this point. The Asgard will take a long time cleansing them from it. They after all don't have the luxury of possessing something as OP as the Dakara Superweapon paired with the Avenger virus. On a meta level, I have plans for the lego machines so don't count them up yet. **

**Well that's it for this chapter. ****Till next time, peace out.**


	7. The Battle of Chiroptera

**Disclaimer: I don't own Blood+, Harry Potter or Stargate.**

**The Wars of Legends**

**Book 2: Bats Rising**

**Chapter Seven: The Battle of Chiroptera**

**Beta:  
**

* * *

**Trigger warnings: mentions of Incest**

In the hangars that had been the drydocks used to build their battleships but which now served as their spaceport, the Chiropteran Swarm Queens were being forced to make a painful parting.

Standing in front of the _Résurrection_, the ship they used to escape Earth, as they said farewell to Aimée and Anastasie who they were sending off to found their own Hive complex. The ship had been fully refitted for the task including the installation of a cloaking device and the grafting of a Pilot directly into the ship's systems like all proper Chiropterans ships and fighters should have. The Swarm Queens hoped that these upgrades would make the frigate a good jumping off point for their daughters.

"I'll miss you two, so, so much." Diva cried, completely distraught as she hugged both twins as tightly as she could.

She understood the necessity for the girls' departure, they needed to survive the upcoming battle regardless of the outcome. At least one pair of Queens _must _survive. The future of their race depended on it. It did not make the parting any easier on her heart though. She loved her daughters dearly and she would eventually have had to let them go to properly found their own Hive but she'd never expect it to happen so soon!

"We'll miss you too, Mama Diva." Aimée reassured her mother, returning the hug fiercely.

"And Mama Saya too," Anastasie added, as the aforementioned red Queen joined the hug.

For a long moment, the four Chiropteran royals luxuriated in the embrace and the strong feel of family that it radiated. But all good things must come to an end and they eventually pulled away from each other, each woman wiping tears from their eyes.

"Take care of yourselves, you hear?" Diva insisted, choking back a sob. "Don't take unnecessary risks."

The two younger Queens dutifully nodded.

"I'm really sorry this had to happen so soon," Saya said, guiltily apologetic. "Your Mama Diva and I had hoped to keep you with us longer. Give you more time to build up your Hive before you set out on your own but fate, it seems, is against us."

"We understand, Mama Saya," Anastasie replied with a watery smile.

"And you don't have to worry about us, Mamas, we'll be fine." Aimée added, trying and largely failing to sound confident. Her cracking voice ruining the effect.

Diva had to suppress the urge to grab the girls and stop them from leaving, they were still barely a year old! How could they run off on their own so young!?

It took Saya pulling her into a comforting, restraining embrace to keep her from acting on her desire and stand there as the girls boarded the _Résurrection_. It did not stop her from all but wailing in grief though. Even her usually so much more composed twin was being not much better as tears freely flowed down her face.

Grief stricken, the Swarm Queens stood there watching as the frigate lifted off its moorings via its anti-gravity engines slowly before shooting off into the horizon and beyond. They stayed there watching as the ship completely disappeared from sight, before Saya finally collected herself.

"Come on, Diva," She said reluctantly as she turned them both back towards the command centre. "We have a battle to prepare for."

This reminder triggered a switch in the blue Queen's mind and her grief instantly became anger. Violently tearing herself from her sister's arms, Diva smashed her fist into an adjacent wall in rage, leaving a massive indent in the reinforced wall.

"This wouldn't be a problem, none of it, if the Asgard weren't such hypocritical bastards!" She hissed. "They ask us to help them protect human worlds from the Goa'uld but refuse to help us when we need it! If they'd just send us a single ship I'm sure they would be able to send the Goa'uld running scared."

"You're not wrong," Saya agreed. "But we shouldn't be blaming _all _Asgard. Thor seemed disgusted by his High Council's decision."

"That doesn't change anything!" Diva insisted in a roar. "His people have still abandoned us!"

_I'm willing to bet some of those High Councilors probably hope that the Goa'uld will wipe us out and finish what their ancestors started back during the Extinction War. _Diva thought to herself, making sure to not let it slip into the Hivemind where Saya could sense it and potentially lead to an argument.

Saya sighed and ran a hand through her hair in frustration.

"Let's set that aside for now." The red Queen urged. "We have enough things to worry about, let's not pile on our relationship with the Asgard to our list of problems. Not now. We can do that _after _we've won the battle."

Diva took a deep, calming breath before giving her sister a determined nod. She felt rather than saw Saya's relieved smile as she blurred away to the manufactories to oversee their accelerated production of war materiel.

_Like Saya says we have a battle to win. We can settle this score afterwards. _Diva told herself. _I'll make sure of that._

* * *

Saya had been touring the newly constructed hangars next to the spaceport where their fighter squadrons were housed and constructed when the alarms sounded signaling the much dreaded arrival of the Goa'uld fleet. Immediately upon hearing the news, she'd blurred to the command center arriving moments after Diva who had been in the manufactories.

_How big is the enemy fleet? _Saya asked the Hivemind as she took a sit on a comfortable loveseat alongside Diva at the heart of the room and sank into their race's shared consciousness.

_23 Ha'taks, 57 Shel'tak and 93 Al'kesh. _The Worker manning the sensors station reported.

_That's larger than Nimue's estimate. _Diva observed with a mental frown.

_Yes, but the significant tech disparities between the various ships in the fleet might be a weakness to exploit. _The red Queen offered.

_Possibly. _The blue Queen agreed. _That and the fact that the majority of the ships in the fleet are inferior to our own or even Nimue's._

_The Goa'uld are hailing us. _The comms station Worker informed them.

_On screen. _Saya ordered. _Let's hear what the snake has to say._

The Goa'uld that appeared on the viewscreen was possessing a man who looked like a seemingly impossible cross between a wise old man and a strongman.

"**I am your god Shu,**" the Goa'uld said in the bass voice used by his race when they wanted to pretend to greater importance. "**By the grace of the great god Ra, I have come to bring you heathens enlightenment under the Sun God's divine radiance. Power down your ships and submit to my divine authority.**"

_What a pompous ass! He knows nothing about us and he's already demanding our surrender? The presumption!_

_Hush Diva. _Saya shushed as she prepared to address the invader.

"Submit? The Chiropteran Swarm would die rather than submit." Saya said defiantly. "Cut the connection."

"**You fo-**" Shu began before being cut off by the communications link being severed.

_Enemy fleet is deploying fighters._

Saya nodded at the sensors operator's report as she once more sank into the depths of the Hivemind. With a wordless command, she dispatched her already swarming fighters towards the enemy,

In their thousands, the tetrahedron shaped machines surged through the void of space in the direction of the Goa'uld fleet. A move that was matched by the enemy as they sent their own swarm of Gliders and Al'kesh to intercept.

As her Pilots closed with the enemy, Saya could feel the heady anticipation of upcoming combat coursing through their veins as if they were own. She shared their satisfaction as their opening volley of photon torpedoes decimated the front ranks of the enemy strike craft as the two forces finally met and things devolved into a chaotic collection of individual dogfights.

Through the Hivemind she looked out of the eyes of her innumerable Pilots and felt immense pride as they devastated the enemy. They flew circles around their less maneuverable opposition while their powerful weapons easily depleted the shields of the Al'kesh and just as effectively ate through their armor, destroying them in droves. As a result, they quickly chewed through the Goa'uld strike craft, allowing squadrons of her fighters to close with the enemy capital ships.

While the two groups of strike craft dueled, the capital ships on both sides had formed up into firing lines and were slowly but steadily closing into their respective effective firing ranges. As befit their technological superiority, the Chiropteran had significantly superior range. An advantage they fully exploited by opening fire on the Goa'uld fleet before they could even retaliate. Their powerful polaron plasma bolts rained down on the snakes' fleet dealing impressive damage, sinking a pair of Ha'taks and five Shel'taks even before they could return fire.

The lead Goa'uld ships had just began entering range and opening fire when the first wave of Chiropteran fighters breached through the strike craft melee, signaling the time for the Swarm to transit to the next phase of their battle plan.

_All battleships jump! _Diva ordered before Saya could, an impish enjoyment at having preempted her sister permeating the Hivemind.

Obeying their Queen, the entire fleet of Chiropteran battleships proceeded to microjump right into the heart of the Goa'uld formation. As they rematerialized, she could practically feel the enemy's surprised confusion as they scrambled to change formation to deal with the enemy in their midst.

_Not that I'm going to let you. _Saya thought, her mind filled with vicious bloodlust as she commanded her battleships to open up on the enemy as they struggled to reposition themselves. From within their enemy's own formation where they were unable to freely maneuver and evade, the Chiropteran battleships unleashed the full fury of their powerful weapons at the Goa'uld capital ships and began reaping a heavy toll.

Not all was going well for the Swarm though, as unexpectedly six of the Ha'tak microjumped to reposition themselves around the _Charlemagne_ and opened fire, with the battleship caught in the middle of a deadly crossfire.

_They must be Ra's ships. _Saya reasoned. _Nimue mentioned that his Ha'tak would be more advanced. _

Thankfully, despite its Queen's distraction, the ship's Pilot reacted quickly enough on its own accord and jumped away in the nick of time.

_They're preparing to jump again! _Diva shouted into the Hivemind as their sensors reported a powerful buildup in the hyperdrives of the six Ha'taks.

_Chart their vectors and send Hector, Paris, Roland to intercept. _

The six especially advanced Goa'uld motherships jumped once more, this time targeting the _Davout _but found themselves engaged by the three battleships Saya had detached from the main fleet to deal with them.

_Two versus one. It's not even a fair fight. For them._

Unfortunately for the Swarm, they were unable to make the kill as the Ha'tak responded to this new threat by jumping away.

_Follow them! _Saya ordered her three pursuing battleships belatedly as acting on their own initiative their Pilots jumped after the enemy before she'd even finished formulating her command.

In a turn of events that might have been comical if it didn't involve life and death, the nine ships quickly found themselves caught in a game of cat and mouse as each group jumped in only to be confronted by the other moments later before jumping once more. Each time, both sides traded a few shots dealing minor damage before the cycle repeated itself anew.

Satisfied that the threat was dealt with for now, Saya shifted her attention to her fighters engaging the remainder of the Goa'uld capital ships.

Saya reached out to one of her fighters in the middle of the Goa'uld formation and possessed its Pilot. Sharing its mind and body, she felt the thrill of the high speed acceleration and maneuvering as she weaved through the chaotic fire from both friend and foe alike as she zeroed in on a Shel'tak. She felt the zinging feeling of enemy plasma bolts pinging off her shields as the enemy ship increasingly focused its point defense fire on her as she closed the distance, but she ignored the irritation and poured on the speed. Her voice and the Pilot's blended together seamlessly as they both roared in triumph as a pair of its photon torpedoes shattered the destroyer's shields. She felt a slight disconnect at the unfamiliar sensations of her metallic body shifting into its robot mode, a mechanical facsimile of a Warrior. On metallic talons, she crashed onto one of the beleaguered ship's turrets, disabling it. The Pilot and her spoke with one mental voice as they pointed their guns into the hole their impact had made in the ship's armor and proceeded to unleash a full salvo of its arsenal, before immediately pushing her engines to the maximum to get away as the ship exploded in her wake and she returned to the hunt.

She would have kept riding with the Pilots of her fighters but a surge of alarm from the _Hector, Paris, _and _Roland _had her hastily shifting her attention to the three battleships. She had just dived into the connection when she felt the _Hector_'s Pilot's fear and resignation as its ship disintegrated around under the concentrated fire of the opposing Ha'taks.

The red Queen felt the deep sense of loss of all its squadronmates and the rest of the Swarm, so she readily added her fury with that of the Pilots of the _Paris and Roland _as they unleashed that righteous anger by discharging their main guns at the two remaining Ha'taks. Saya, Diva and countless others across the Swarm joining in their satisfaction as they saw the enemy ships literally disintegrating under the power of the blasts from their Positron Cannons.

_Saya! Look! Look! _Diva's heady cry forced her away from that front and back to the main battle.

As she did so, she felt a steadily growing feeling of shock as she saw that the remainder of the enemy capital ships had either been crippled or outright destroyed, while the strike craft were swiftly being mopped out.

They had won!

And only with the relatively minor loss of the _Hector _and a couple hundred fighters. Sure the other battleships had all sustained varying degrees of damage, ranging from the _Moreau_'s disabled main gun to the _Jean Bureau_'s damaged flight decks, but all of the nine remaining warships were still combat ready.

This was victory on a scope that far exceeded their expectations!

_Well, it's a good thing isn't it? _Diva asked, sounding genuinely curious about Saya's response while harboring just a hint of disapproval.

_I'm just surprised is all. _Saya replied quickly. _But, yes, this is a very good thing. A very good thing indeed._

* * *

**Done!**

**This is a little short, but a little under half of it was what I hoped was a decent space battle so I hope that makes up for it.**

**Well, not much to add here. **

**I hope to see you next chapter where we see how the Chiropterans choose to react to this act of aggression by the Goa'uld Empire.**

**Till then, ciao!**


	8. Returning Favors

**Disclaimer: I don't own Blood+, Harry Potter or Stargate.**

**The Wars of Legends**

**Book 2: Bats Rising**

**Chapter Eight: Returning Favors**

**Beta:  
**

* * *

**Trigger warnings: mentions of Incest**

Flush with their victory over the Goa'uld's attempted invasion, the Chiropteran Swarm Queens had spent a whole night celebrating. It was thus perhaps no surprise that both of them were heavily pregnant the next morning as they settled into their loveseat in the command center and hailed Nimue over subspace.

"Greetings, Saya, Diva," the System Lord greeted them pleasantly as the communications link was established. "I believe congratulations are in order."

"Greetings Nimue," Saya replied with a glowing smile, unsurprised that the Goa'uld already knew of their victory. Her intelligence network was most impressive. "And thank you."

"I must say though that I am both pleasantly surprised and impressed that you managed such a resounding victory over what my agents tell me was an force with a significant numerical advantage."

"We were honestly a little surprised by it too," Diva admitted. "Though we've heard that the enemy fleet would have been even larger if not for you harassing the local System Lords and forcing them to redeploy ships elsewhere. You never mentioned you would do this. We only learned about it after examining the wreckage recovered from the destroyed Goa'uld ships."

"It wasn't relevant," Nimue replied with a shrug. "That was as much to hinder their efforts at locating my new colony in the area by buying time to take measures to hide it as it was to help you."

"So you weren't completely altruistic in your actions, that didn't mean you needed to hide it."

"I didn't think it was relevant. It ultimately didn't change the fact that you had to face a large invasion force."

_I'm pretty sure she's lying. _Diva observed telepathically. _She's protesting too much. _

_I agree but she's a pretty good one. Even when pressed she's not even flinching. _Saya sent back. _Though I wonder why she would want to lie about helping us._

_Who knows? _Dive replied with a mental shrug.

"Whatever the case, Nimue. The Swarm is grateful to you for your help and would like to formally begin negotiations on trade agreements as soon as possible.

"Very well, beyond that could I also interest you in a mutual exchange of intelligence as well?

"Mutual exchange?" Diva asked confused. "We don't have any intelligence assets at this point."

"Yes, I do have the upper hand on this front for the moment." Nimue agreed with a pleasant smile. "But given time your Swarm will develop its own assets and capabilities. Thus it is in my best interest to set up a sharing arrangement with you as early as possible."

"That's quite impressive forethought." Saya said, surprised. "We are of course agreeable to your proposal."

"Nothing so grand," the Goa'uld insisted. "I just betting on the dark horse is all."

_There she goes deflecting again. It's like she can't take a compliment. _

_Maybe she can't? _Saya replied, pondering what could build such a personality quirk into as formidable a person as Nimue. _But there's ways to return the favor without being obvious. Ways that I'm pretty sure she won't be willing to reject._

"Well, if you're offering us such an advantageous deal on intelligence sharing then it's only fair that we open up other avenues of trade as well. How about some technological exchange?"

_Oh! You want to gift her some tech?_

_Not quite, _Saya informed her sister. _I doubt she'd accept a gift but if we deliberately accepted a slightly disadvantageous deal, I don't think she'll object._

"I was hoping you would say that," Nimue said with a smirk. "I'm forwarding you a list over the connection with what I'm willing to offer and what I think would be commiserate in return."

_There she can't have anything useful. _Diva thought with a scoff as she reviewed the list via the Hivemind. _We're just too technologically superior to the Goa'uld_. _Wait is that the principles of hyperspace interdiction? A proposed hyperspace phase drive!? This is…_

_More impressive than we expected. _Saya finished her stunned sister's thought. _And all she wants is polarion and positron mechanics? That's actually fair._

"We'll review the list and get back to you along with details about the other matters," Saya told Nimue hiding her own surprise at this turn of events. "But I can agree in principle to these broad terms."

"Very good," Nimue said with a decisive nod. "Then one of my representatives will contact you again to iron out the details in a week or so. That should be more than enough time for both us to prepare for the negotiations."

"That's fine."

"Then if there's no other business?" Nimue asked leadingly.

"Till we meet again," Saya offered a curtsy as best as she was able in her heavily pregnant state, Diva following her lead.

"Farewell," Nimue said, offering a bow in return before disconnecting the call.

* * *

Seated on his command chair on the bridge of the _Biliskner_, Thor looked out thoughtfully into the tunnel through hyperspace his mighty ship had created as it traveled towards the Chiroptera system. He was en route to investigate why they were massing their fleet together as detected by the network of sensors his kind had hidden throughout the Milky Way, instead of having them on patrols like they had been since their battle with the Goa'uld.

_A battle I nor my people did anything to help them survive. _Thor noted guiltily.

In the Supreme Commander's mind, the Asgard were indebted to the Chiropterans and should have aided them in their time of need. The Keron disruption technology they had provided had proven incredibly effective in the war against the Replicators. So much so that for the first time in centuries, the tide seemed poised to turn in their favor.

_Yet the High Council refuses to help our benefactors. All due to some ancient mistrust? How foolish!_

Despite his personal thoughts on the matter though, it changed nothing about the Council's position. They still insisted on looking upon the Chiropterans as nothing more than a enemy biding its time, one that circumstances might have forced the Asgard to treat with for the moment but which would be crushed should the need arise. In fact, it was due to this thinking that he was currently heading to the Swarm's homewold. As their latest fleet movements had alarmed the High Council which worried that it was a sign that the Chiropterans were planning to attack a younger race.

_And it took me all my influence just to convince them to not send in an extermination force right away._ Thor thought with a sigh, a gesture that his race shared with many other humanoid races as a sign of frustration.

The Supreme Commander personally felt his fellow Councillors were letting the stories of the Extinction War cloud their judgement. To him it is clear that the Chiropterans of today were a clean break from their xenocidal ancestors, the Genestealers.

Nevertheless he had a task to accomplish and as the _Biliskner _exited hyperspace he confirmed that the sensor readings were accurate. Like they had indicated, the Chiropterans had recalled their fleet and massed them into two distinct groups. A smaller group of four ships were set up in a defensive formation in geosynchronous orbit over their colony while the five remaining ships were in higher orbit and in a wedge-shaped attack formation.

Their IFF (Identification, Friend or Foe) systems identified the lead ship in the attack group as the _Bonaparte_.

_Interesting choice of name._ Thor noted as he hailed the vessel. I_ do believe that the Pilot has chosen to adopt the name of one of its Queens' birth nation's greatest conquerors. I wonder, is there any meaning to it?_

Thor set aside his musings when a link was established, though he was surprised to be faced with the Chiropteran Swarm Queens' lone Chevalier rather than the monarchs themselves.

"Greetings Supreme Commander," the man -_I believe his name is Haji._\- said, offering a respectful bow. "We have been expecting you."

"How you now?"

"We have," Haji told him with a nod of his head. "My Queens are currently indi- Correction, they are ready to receive you now. I'll redirect your connection to the Hive Complex."

Thor just nodded.

"Your Majesties," Thor offered the two women as they appeared on screen seated in a loveseat, their wombs visibly swelling in front of his eyes.

_I suppose that explains why they were 'indisposed,' _Thor thought with concealed amusement. _It may be a different people now, but they've certainly inherited their ancestors' penchant for continuously being engaged in breeding._

"Supreme Commander," the two Chiropteran Swarm Queens returned his greeting coldly.

_I probably deserve that._

In spite of his feelings on the matter though, he nevertheless maintained a unruffled mask as he addressed the question of the hour.

"May I know your intentions with regards to your fleet?"

"It's for a surprise," Diva offered with a vicious glint in her eyes despite her teasing tone.

"Though you can rest assured, it will not be something that your people will disapprove of." Saya told him with a smirk. "In fact, what we intend will serve to strengthen the Protected Planets Treaty."

"I'm afraid that I must know your intentions," Thor insisted. "I have orders from the High Council to the effect that if you fail to comply that I'm to use force to stop you."

"Just trust us," Saya asked earnestly. "Just give us one day. After that you'll have all the intelligence you need to report to the Council."

"Though you might want to doctor some records to make it look like you got here too late to stop us. Are you willing to do that?"

He had just been thinking of the need to offer the Chiropterans some trust, was he not? Surely, this was a perfect chance to do so? And if it required a little tampering of records to deceive the High Council… Well, it was not like this would the first time he had done so in the name of helping others.

"Very well," Thor told the Queens after a moment. "I'll give you the benefit of the doubt for now. Besides with just the _Biliskner _I wouldn't have the firepower to stop you if it did come down to a battle, as such I'll just await reinforcements before taking action."

Diva blinked in surprise.

"I'm glad I did not misjudge you, Thor." Saya said offering him a friendly smile. "And rest assured, we won't betray your trust."

"I would hope not," Thor warned even as he cut the communications.

Almost as soon as he did, his sensors and the viewscreen both showed the Chiropteran attack fleet opening a hyperspace window and leaving the system.

_I hope I made the right decision. _Thor thought to himself worriedly. _Or innumerable lives might be forfeit._

* * *

Nimue leaned back in her throne within the meeting hall of the High Council of System Lords onboard the Hasara space station, ready to be bored out of her mind by one more of Ra's pointless acts of political theater. The meetings had no real purpose, not when Ra routinely overruled any decisions that the Council made that were not to his liking. Yet, in one of the shows of his power that he favored, he insisted that the twelve most powerful System Lords meet with him once every ten years to discuss the state and future of the Goa'uld Empire.

Thankfully though, if all went well there would be some real theatrics during today's meeting.

True to her expectation, the meeting had barely convened and Ra was just beginning to explain the defeat of a joint reconnaissance fleet he mustered to investigate an unknown alien race, namely the Chiropterans, when alarms started to blare.

_What impeccable timing my new friends have. _The former witch thought with carefully concealed amusement.

Instead, she played along and joined the other System Lords in their panicked rush for their escape ships.

"**Halt!**" Ra commanded. "**We will not run like cowards.**"

The System Lords exchanged looks, but one by one trickled back to their thrones. None of them willing to question the Supreme System Lord. That did not stop Nimue from catching Yu's eye and rolling her eyes, causing her old ally's lips to quirk up just slightly in amusement.

She was certain a number of the other System Lords caught the exchange, but since none of them knew exactly what the expressions meant there was no harm in it. In fact, she'd reckoned that some of them probably thought they were elaborate signals of some kind and would waste a inordinate amount of resources to decipher their supposed meaning, when it was little more than just the two old friends finding amusement at Ra's expense.

Seated once more, her amusement just grew as she saw Ra activate the council chamber's command and control systems and bring up a tactical view of local space. It revealed five ships matching the designs employed by the 'newly discovered race' rapidly closing with the station with their weapons powered.

_Time for today's main act. _Nimue thought to herself as she prepared herself for the forthcoming entertainment.

* * *

On board the _Bonaparte _Haji commanded the quintet of Chiropteran battleships as they advanced on the seat of Goa'uld power. All around him, he felt the eager bloodlust of the Pilots of the fleet, battleship and fighter both, as the closed on the enemy.

_12 Ha'tak, 36 Shel'tak, 48 Al'kesh? _The Chevalier noted as the sensor data entered his awareness through the Hivemind. A startling experience the first few times, but one he'd become comfortable with in his preparation for today.

He was a Chevalier, a Queen's right hand. It was his duty to command in her stead. And for the first time in his existence as such, he was finally living up to that purpose. A fact that filled him with instinctive pleasure.

_That's a sizable fleet, for a secret meeting place. _He reasoned as he returned his focus to the present. _Though nowhere near enough._

Suddenly ten of the Ha'taks microjumped into positions around their smaller fleet, attempting to englobe them, with squadrons of the Shel'tak moving to do the same. All the while, Death Gliders and Al'kesh were streaming towards them like a seemingly endless tide.

Submerging himself into the fleet's collective, Haji began issuing orders.

_Deploy fighters, but only the response squadrons. Keep the others in reserve for now. We just need to hold off their attack craft for now. _

In response, small swarms of the Chiropterans' deadly fighters flew out of each battleship like hornets responding to an attack on their nest. Instead of surging ahead to meet their Goa'uld counterparts as was the norm, they instead clustered around their motherships, keeping pace with the larger vessels and fending off the enemy fighters and bombers as they slammed into the head of their formations.

_Richelieu, Jean Bureau, Charlemagne, Davout, Bonaparte charge their lines and break through to the station._

His words were little more than an add on to what the battleships were already doing, as seemingly without regard to the heavy plasma fire directed their way they nevertheless plowed through first the Goa'uld strike craft and then directly into the line being held by the two Ha'tak between them and the Hasara station.

This inevitably took a toll on their shields.

_Richelieu 67% _

_Jean Bureau 71% _

_Charlemagne 63% _

_Davout 79%_

_Bonaparte 60%_

Haji felt the reports come in from the Pilots and allowed himself a slightly worried frown. The shields were still holding for now, but they were draining.

_We can't keep this up for long._

Thankfully, they were at least trading well for their increasingly depleted shields. With dozens of Al'kesh and at least nine Shel'tak having already been burned from the stars by their deadly polarion fire even just getting so far. Now that they were in sight of the target, they as one unleashed their main guns on the two Ha'taks blocking their path.

The Ha'tak were a venerable, admirable warship that was capable of sustaining a truly impressive amount of punishment, but they were never designed to withstand the raw firepower of five Positron Blaster Cannons. Even split between two targets the combined firepower of the antimatter weapons of the Chiropteran battleships easily obliterated their targets and a dozen Shel'tak besides.

Careful targeting on the part of the Swarm's ships had prevented their deadly main weapons from harming the Hasara station, thus leaving its defensive guns online. These however were nothing compared to the substantially heavier weapons sported by the Goa'uld defense platforms that it had inspired, and were thus quickly disabled by the battleships who quickly did an about face and put the station to their rear.

_Launch all remaining fighters! Destroy the enemy!_

At the Chevalier's command, hundreds of Chiropteran fighters poured out of the battleships and screamed towards the remaining Goa'uld warships. Ships that now found themselves unable to freely return fire for risk of of hitting the Hasara station behind the enemy and killing their gods aboard.

Haji's forces had no such restriction and opened up on them with the full destructive array of weapons at their disposal causing things to rapidly devolve into a one-sided slaughter.

* * *

Watching as the last of the Goa'uld defense fleet burned, incidentally that dubious honor having gone to one of Ra's own Ha'taks, Nimue inwardly smiled. Sure, she had lost men in that fight but precious few of them, having only manned the ships that she'd seconded to the defense fleet with only skeleton crews who had been staffed by retiring and unreliable troops.

_It helps to be prepared. _The System Lord thought harboring only the barest of regrets at the subjects who she'd condemned to death.

Instead, she was filled with a perverse pleasure as she saw the other System Lords turn on Ra for antagonizing what was clearly a extremely powerful race. They had been at it since the Chiropterans had taken out the station's defenses thus effectively taken it hostage and had only grown more and more raucous as the battle became more and more of a rout for their forces.

The pleasant sight of the Goa'uld bickering was interrupted however when the victorious Chiropterans hailed them.

"**Silence!**" Ra shouted, using a glare with his glowing eyes to reinforce his command. "**Do you want to show the enemy weakness by appearing disunited?**"

The System Lords obeyed, but none of them looked pleased.

She was willing to bet that the majority of the others were thinking the same thing as her as well. Who was Ra fooling? Anyone with a modicum of understanding of the Goa'uld could see how fractious they were. No amount of pretense on Ra's part was going to hide that.

She nevertheless joined everyone else in remaining silent as Ra accepted the communications link. Instead of the image of Haji like she had expected, the hardlight display instead changed to show the pleasant image of the beautiful and once more pregnant Swarm Queens.

_Didn't they just give birth yesterday when they outlined this plan to me? _Nimue boggled. _Couldn't they keep their pants on for a single day!?_

"Greetings System Lords of the Goa'uld Empire," the Swarm Queens greeted the gathered Goa'uld with contempt clear in their tone.

Ra opened his mouth to speak, perhaps to return the greeting or more likely to grandstand and deliver threats of reprisal for this attack, but was cut off when Saya kept speaking.

"We are the Swarm Queens of the Chiropteran Swarm and we contact you today to deliver a message."

"It is simply this: we, the Chiropteran Swarm, will henceforth be assisting the Asgard in enforcing the Protected Planets Treaty." Diva continued where Saya left off.

"Unless you want a repeat of the two inglorious defeats you've suffered at our hands recently you will respect both our space and the Treaty." Saya warned. "Is that clear, System Lords?"

_Bravo! By bypassing Ra like that, they're undercutting his authority. I couldn't have done better in undermining him. _Nimue crowed.

Speaking of the Supreme System Lord, he seemed to finally get his voice back and while glaring at the two Queens replied.

"We hear your ultimatum, _Chiropterans_." He said sneering their name. "But rest assured that one day the Goa'uld Empire will-"

"Have its vengeance on us for this humiliation?" Saya asked quirking her right eyebrow curiously. "Well, I'd like to see you try."

"But until you get the courage to give it a go, be good little cowards and obey the rules, okay?" Diva said, deliberately sounding like she was talking down to a child.

Ra looked apoplectic but was helpless to respond as the Chiropterans cut the communications. For a long moment he just stood there glaring at the hardlight display as it showed the Swarm's fleet leave the system.

It was as they finished jumping away to hyperspace that the council room exploded into anarchy. It began with Ra crying out in impotent rage and slamming his fist into the arm rests of his throne hard enough to draw blood, not that he noticed as he continued howling in incoherent rage. A rage that was added to when a number of the System Lords began haranguing him for his handling of the Chiropterans.

_The fools will likely find themselves dead shortly. _Nimue thought as she joined her wiser peers in looking on at Ra making a fool of himself with cool indifference.

* * *

**That's one more finished.**

**This was a great chapter to write. Upsetting the Goa'uld's delusions of grandeur is so much fun, especially when one is as full of themselves as Ra.**

**Beyond that I think there's a couple of things worth discussing. **

**Firstly, the Asgard High Council comes across as dicks in this chapter no? Well, that's because they are. But they're not without good reason. The Chiropterans **_**are **_**a threat and helped the Asgard or not, they are right to be wary. Besides one good deed, no matter how major, does not wipe away their ancestors' misdeeds. At least that's the thinking that's motivating the majority of the Asgard Councillors.**

**Secondly, Nimue exhibited two interesting traits this chapter. **

**i) An inability to accept praise for helping others. This is, of course, not absolute for her. It does however occasionally rear its head when she thinks she didn't do something worthy enough of praise. She's her own worst critic.**

**ii) Her callousness to the way she sent her elements of the Hasara defense fleet to their deaths at the hands of her own allies. This is just another sign that Nimue isn't the same largely morally upright Harry Potter anymore. The weight of the crown and her powers have changed her, and not completely for the better. This is, as stated before, something of a theme for her.**

**Well, that's all I have to say this chapter. Till next time, peace!**


	9. Sealing New Friendships

**Disclaimer: I don't own Blood+, Harry Potter or Stargate.**

**The Wars of Legends**

**Book 2: Bats Rising**

**Chapter Nine: Sealing New Friendships**

**Beta:  
**

* * *

**Trigger warnings: mentions of Incest**

In the vast emptiness of interstellar space, spread out between huge gulfs of space there existed many wandering celestial bodies. On one such, a wandering asteroid, the Chiropteran Queens Aimée and Anastasie had established a small Hive complex as the first of number of such outputs they had planned to support what they intended to be their primarily nomadic lifestyle.

This humble base would for the time being be temporarily repurposed to host a truly momentous meeting. The first face to face meeting between the System Lord Nimue and the Chiropteran Swarm Queens.

Diva stood patiently next to Saya in the port sections of their daughters' Hive as the Al'kesh that ferried their ally Nimue from her flagship, which kept a respectful, watchful station just outside of the range of its weapons, docked.

_Did you feel that? _The blue Queen asked, as she felt the presence of a powerful Ascended Being onboard the incoming ship.

_Yes, could-_ Saya's message was cut short as the airlock opened and revealed Nimue's form, causing the red Queen to gasp in horror and Diva to blink in shock. Partially this was due to the confirmation that the Goa'uld was indeed the Ascended Being they had sensed, however for the most part this was due to the fact that she appeared to inhabiting the body of a pretty black haired, green eyed little girl. One that oddly enough seemed to be dressed in a too big dress that trailed after her and whose sleeves completely hid her hands from view.

_Saya! Calm down! This wasn't how she looked in the transmission but its clearly the same host._

_Or someone very similar. _Saya said with a angry growl.

_Or she's using her Ascended powers to shapeshift her host to her liking. _Diva countered. _Do not jump to conclusions and ruin this alliance!_

On Nimue's part, she seemed to be using their reaction as some kind of gauge. For at seeing their horror, she nodded in satisfaction before in a brilliant white glow she transformed into a grown woman. The change explained the dress, which fit this adult body much better and served to accentuate the woman's classical beauty.

"Saya, Diva, greetings and my apologies for that unsettling little tease on my part," Nimue said with an apologetic nod of her head. "I had to see if you were the morally upright people I had hoped."

"You were testing us?" Saya asked indignant.

"Apologies, but yes." Nimue confirmed. "I was perhaps not as subtle as most, but I think it is fair to say that testing one's allies is a matter of course is it now?"

Saya seethed, but Diva saw the truth in Nimue's statement and even her choice to be so blatant in her test of their character. Determining their character would define what kind of relationship she intended to pursue with them so being overt and quick about it before negotiations picked up steam was a sound move.

Pushing these thoughts and a general sense of calm to her sister, Diva breathed a mental sigh of relief as Saya's anger cooled.

"Now that it's out of the way though," Nimue said as she was once more engulfed in bright light and shifted back into a child, her dress resizing itself with her. "I think I will carry out this conference in my preferred form."

"You prefer the form of a child?" Diva questioned, curious.

"Yes," Nimue nodded, with a smile. "My skill at shapeshifting is quite limited. I've not mastered how to change beyond the limits of my body and so can only alter its age. And of all the ages, I am generally most comfortable when I take the form of my eleven year old self."

"You talk about it as if that's actually your body," Saya asked, a hint of her earlier belligerence resurfacing. "Don't you mean your host's?"

"No, this is the body I was born with. I can assure you of that." Nimue said with a sad smile. "Why don't we head to somewhere more comfortable and I can explain it on the way."

Saya was disbelieving and hostile, so Diva sent her another wave of calm even as she stepped forward.

"Of course, right this way," the blue Queen said with a welcoming smile as she gestured down a corridor further into the Hive and specifically to the conference room they had specially constructed for today's meeting.

Smiling in thanks, Nimue followed her directions and headed down the corridor with Diva and a reluctant Saya falling into step beside her. Behind them, their retinues of guards and attendants dutifully followed but none of the three monarchs paid them any mind as Nimue began narrating her life story.

* * *

Saya sank back into the comfortable leather of her chair in the conference room and tried to, and mostly succeeded at, smothering her shame for her earlier angry response to Nimue's choice of avatar. After hearing the woman's story, she could only feel ashamed about it. The other woman deserved their sympathy, not judgemental anger.

_Yes, she does. _Diva sent, while looking at her sternly in a reminder to mind her manners. Something that Saya couldn't help but find ironic considering it was usually she who had to keep her twin from behaving badly.

_Yes, well you're having a bad day and _someone _has to pick up the slack. _Diva shot back easily. _Though ease off on the looks you're giving Nimue, it's making her uncomfortable._

That much was true, the System Lord maintained a remarkably calm facade but her aura spoke volumes at how the Queens' reactions had unsettled her.

_Right, I'll rein it in. _

Diva replied with a burst of wordless thanks, even as she offered a Nimue a smile and began the discussions proper.

"So how did the System Lords respond to our little message?"

"They were deeply unnerved," Nimue said with a mischievous smirk. "None of them ever expected for non-Goa'uld to know the secret location of the Hasara station."

She broke into an amused chuckle for a moment before continuing.

"They never suspected however that one of their number, such as myself, might have leaked the coordinates."

"Will they become suspicious now?" Diva asked, concerned.

Nimue shook her head.

"Oh, after such a debacle they'll suspect _everyone_, myself included of course, but they will have no evidence with which to draw conclusions. So I'll be fine."

"A climate of suspicion like that…" Saya mused. "We could use that to our advantage."

"Quite," Nimue agreed. "It has already been most fruitful at causing instability within the Empire. Already a number of the System Lords that sat in on the Council meeting have attacked each other, using accusations of being the source of the leak as excuses to settle preexisting tensions. Furthermore, Ra will need to act against them all soon. He lost a lot of standing during the affair and will need to reassert his strength."

"Speaking of strength, I still don't agree with not showing more of our own and just destroying the Council of System Lords when we had the chance."

"Like I told you, Diva, when I proposed the plan," the Goa'uld said with a shake of her head. "Doing so would incite the rest of the Empire to turn against you in the name of avenging the Council. Powerful as your ships are, they are few in number. As such, a full blown assault by the amassed might of the Empire would easily destroy you. Besides, keeping the current Council alive means that they, as the ones who agreed to the terms, now have to enforce the expansion in the Protected Planets Treaty or face a loss of face within the Empire."

"In other words," Saya said looking Diva sternly. "Doing what we did has ensured us protection from the Empire's reprisal and leverage over it's ruling body."

Diva huffed. "I get it. It made sense. I don't have to like it though. It feels like such a missed opportunity."

"I don't disagree." Nimue shrugged. "But taking every opportunity isn't always the right move."

The Blue Queen was still unhappy but nodded in a signal that she was willing to let the matter rest.

"You mentioned Ra will likely attack you to 'reassert his strength'," Diva asked, scoffing at Ra's likely course of action. "Will you be able to withstand it?"

The Ascended Goa'uld just laughed.

"You worry too much Diva," the System Lord said as she regained her composure. "I've done so for thousands of years and will do so for thousands more if necessary."

"Necessary for what?" Saya asked suspiciously.

Was Nimue aiming to become the Supreme System Lord? Should they support her if she was? These and a dozen other questions popped into her head as she mulled the possibilities.

"To accomplish my end goal." Nimue said with a teasing smirk as she evaded the question.

"Which is?" Diva asked with an annoyed pout at being toyed with.

"The complete overthrow of the Goa'uld Empire"

Nimue's declaration left the Queens stunned. A state of being that their ally was proving remarkably capable of inducing in them, they idly noted even as marveled at the sheer ambition the Ascended Goa'uld must possess to aspire to such a goal.

It seemed far fetched, but…

_Our goals align. _Diva thought, giving voice to their shared opinion.

"Then it seems we are of like mind," Saya told Nimue and earning a pleased smile from the other woman.

* * *

That night, Diva and her sister let their minds drift into the Ascended Plane for the first time. They had avoided doing so until now, fearful of what they would find there. With the last few generations of their kind having essentially gone insane, they shuddered to think what kind of mark they'd left on the sections of the plane that their kind frequented.

However, at the end of the day's talks Nimue had asked them to meet her there to discuss something important that she only felt safe speaking about in the Ascended Plane. Thus, despite their previous hesitance, as the two Swarm Queens drifted off to sleep that night, they took the plunge.

Contrary to their expectations, they did not arrive in a nightmarish hellscape or a madness inducing realm. Instead, all they found as they entered the Ascended Plane was an endless empty white void.

"This won't do," Saya said with a frown even as she exerted her will over the malleable space and reshaped it into a facsimile of a fancy Parisian cafe she'd seen in pictures from her childhood.

"Good choice sister." Diva complimented as she pulled out a chair and took a seat. "This is much better."

Saya just nodded, as she walked around seemingly checking if she had missed any details or got anything wrong. She was such a perfectionist!

Diva was smart enough to not let Saya hear her though, it would likely start an argument. And she could save that, and the fun they would have as they made up afterwards, for later.

"I don't know to be glad or sad that there hasn't been Chiropteran Queens with large enough Hives to allow them access to the plane in so long that the old patterns they used to maintain have faded."

"I think it's a good thing." Saya offered as she finished her inspection and took a seat across from Diva. "It means we can create what we like from scratch."

"I agree with your sister," Nimue said as she strolled into the cafe, once more in the form of a child.

"Nimue," the Swarm Queens greeted politely.

"Saya, Diva," the Goa'uld returned with a pleasant smile.

"This is a impressive construct. Very detailed." Nimue complimented as she took a seat at the table the two Chiropterans were occupying. "How did you manage this Saya? To my knowledge, you've never actually visited a place like this."

"That's true," Diva chimed in to defend her blushing sister. "But some of our converted lower castes have and sister drew from their memories."

"That's a useful ability to have," Nimue said, nodding in understanding.

"So why did you insist they we meet you here?" Saya said in a transparent bid to change the topic. She never did like talking about the converted in the Swarm. The remnants of her humanity still causing her to feel considerable guilt over what was done to them.

Unaware of her the red Queen's feelings, Nimue just rolled with the change in topic.

"It's because of the Others," the witch said with a frustrated sigh.

"The who?" Diva asked incredulously. Seriously, what kind of name is that?

"The other Ascended. They call themselves the Others. Stupid name, I know, but it's what they choose to call themselves."

Both Chiropterans shook their heads. They were completely shocked and exasperated at the thought of a group of godlike beings choosing such a silly name for themselves.

"As I was saying," Nimue said, putting them back on track. "The Others ban all mention of the _true enemy_ within the Milky Way by Ascended Beings and while they usually don't apply most of their rules on me, they will for this one."

"True enemy?" Saya asked, her wariness palpable to all.

"The Ori," the System Lord explained. "They are kin to the Alterans from another distant galaxy and who like them have Ascended but hold an opposing view on how the world should work. While the Others, which are mostly descendants of the Alterans, embrace absolute non-interference with the material plane, the Ori believe in forcing the younger races to worship them as gods and to keep them enslaved."

"So basically Ascended versions of the Goa'uld?" Saya summarized.

"Pretty much."

"That's just- How could someone who reached Ascension think that way?" The red Queen spat in disgust.

"Ascended are still people." Nimue said with a self-deprecating smile. "I'm sure both of you should know that. I don't know about you but I've certainly done plenty of unpleasant things even after Ascending."

Saya nodded shakily, acknowledging Nimue's point.

"So did you inform us about these Ori just to warn us out of the goodness of your heart?" Diva asked probingly.

"No," Nimue said, her voice soft and pleading. "I tell you about them in the hope that you'll help me fight them. The Ori are powerful. More powerful than the Goa'uld by far. Too powerful, I fear, for me to face alone. I need allies…"

Saya shot Diva a questioning look.

_Like you have to ask, sister. _Diva sent her way, even as she carefully hid her resignation. As much as she _knew _this was the right thing to do, she couldn't help but feel frustrated at the idea of being dragged into another war. Even if it was one that would hopefully be far in the future.

"You won't need to fight alone," Saya said reaching out to give one of Nimue's hands a comforting squeeze.

Taking the Goa'uld's other hand, Diva too squeezed it reassuringly. "We'll be there with you too."

Nimue looked at them with such a grateful expression that Diva felt her worries be washed away.

_We're doing the right thing here._

The blue Queen couldn't agree with her sister more.

* * *

**And cut! That's it for this book's main story folks. There'll be a couple of interludes and then **_**Bats Rising**_ **is complete. Thanks to everyone who stuck with it till now.**

**Till next time, ciao!**


	10. Interlude: The Chiropteran Swarm

**Disclaimer: I don't own Blood+, Harry Potter or Stargate.**

**The Wars of Legends**

**Book 2: Bats Rising**

**Interlude: The Chiropteran Swarm**

**Beta:  
**

* * *

**Introduction**

Welcome! This is the second post on The Galacticpolitics Blog and boy will it be a big one! I'm covering the ever mysterious, helpful and what some idiots people consider creepy race known as the Chiropterans.

Since this is going to a _long _post, so I'm not going to waste time here. Let's just jump right into it!

**The Chiropteran Swarm**

History

Pre-Extinction War

Little is known about the Swarm's pre-Extinction War history, which is expected of a time more than 60 million years ago. Only the oldest of races like the Chiropterans and the Nox know any details and both have been cagey with sharing anything. As such we only have a fragmentary picture of this time in Chiropteran history. We know they went by a different name at that time, but this name is not known to us. We also know that they were the premier power in the galaxy for much of this time and were both feared and respected for the power they wielded. Beyond this however we know little else

Extinction War

This catastrophic war began as a result of the assassination of the incumbent Swarm Queens at the time by agents of a rival interstellar race, which precipitated a civil war among the Chiroptera Hives that was called the Swarm War.

This was a natural occurrence but was one that had not happened since before their kind had developed interstellar flight and their unification into a single Swarm. With the rare occasion where Swarm Queens dying, usually due to disease, being accompanied by the passing on of their mantles through an unknown process at the moment of their deaths. Unfortunately, the sudden nature of the assassination meant this transference of the mantle did not take place and the Hives of the Swarm went to war as their Queens fought to determine which twin pair would prove themselves the strongest and become the new Swarm Queens.

This Swarm War however quickly spread well beyond being a civil war as Queens began seeking every possible advantage and in so doing attacked other races to obtain resources and by conversion of their members valuable genetic material with which to enhance their own children. In the process of which, they caused the extinction of innumerable races.

Even the powerful Nox and Furlings proved unable to stop them despite allying against them. It was only with the arrival of the technologically hyper advanced Ancients from outside the galaxy that the allies could match the Chiropterans and their seemingly exponentially improving technology but even then their sheer numbers still proved overwhelming. In the end, it was the arrival of another extragalactic race, the mighty warriors of the Asgard, that the alliance that would later be called the Four Great Races was able to turn the tide.

Working together the Great Races not only defeated the Swarm but at the urging of the Nox and Furlings they dealt onto the Chiropterans what they had done to so many others. They rendered them extinct. Or so they thought.

Revival and growth as a great power

In truth, the Chiropterans weren't extinct at all. Before they were wiped out a lone Hive Queen had snuck onto a world that would become known as Earth and hid away. There she died when her twin was killed presumably in battle with the Great Races, but the Twin Queens she carried in her womb lived on in the suspended animation she'd placed them.

They would be released from this stasis in 1833 by an unscrupulous French scientist by the name of Joel Goldschmidt who proceeded to treat them like an experiment and did unspeakable things to the Blue Queen, Diva. Was it any surprise then that she did what she did when she gained her freedom in 1883. … _To see more click here_

Castes (listed by the rank of the caste from highest to lowest)

The Twin Queens

They appear like attractive human women but possess superhuman abilities that may vary from individual to individual but generally includes:

Superhuman strength: They are many orders of magnitude stronger than their apparent size should allow them to be

Superhuman agility: They are capable of incredible feats of agility

Superhuman speed: They can move fast enough to appear as a blur to human eyes

Telepathy: They can telepathically communicate with other Chiropteran through their racial Swarmmind

Agelessness: They all stop aging somewhere when they reach the developmental equivalent of a human's late teens to early twenties

Hyper Accelerated regeneration: They can heal from any normal wound near instantaneously and even wounds which should be fatal on humans would be a mere nuisance to them

Mutagenic blood: Their blood allows them to convert other lifeforms into Chiropterans. Through this process they somehow gain all the genetic traits of said lifeform which they can then use to refine future generations. This ability is mostly only applicable to sapient or at least sentient lifeforms, as conversion of other beings tends to lead to failure. That said, it is not uncommon for Queens to attempt to attempt to convert a whole host of fauna and sometimes even flora that they encounter to enhance the Swarm's library of genetic traits as they gain the genetic information even from lifeforms for whom the conversion was unsuccessful.

Unique abilities: Queens are Ascended Beings and thus have access to the power of the Ascended Plane and can work great feats of magic. The scope of this varies from individual to individual, however all recorded instances have been known to be beyond the ability of non-Ascended Beings.

The existence of Twin Queens is supposedly an ancient system that dates back to the earliest times of the Chiropteran race. However since records of this time are wholly Chiropteran and reproductions by them based on their genetic memory at that, there is no way to independently verify their authenticity. Though what they have shared does line up with the independent hypothesis crafted by scholars.

According to these records, it supposedly replaced a system of single Queens ruling their Hives as it proved a more efficient way of managing tensions within the psychic Hivemind. With a pair of mated twins, it was discovered that their own dual bound telepathic bond strengthened their ability to manage the rest of their Hive. As such this trait quickly spread through the Swarm and became the norm.

However they came about, the Twin Queens now function as the linchpins in the psychic network that keep their Hives (and for the Swarm Queens, the whole Swarm) together. This bond is strongest between the twins themselves, such that the death of one can cause a sympathetic death of another even if they are on the far side of the galaxy. A fact attested to by multiple recorded incidents during the Extinction War.

At the same time, the Twin Queens are also the mother of their Hives, being able to create new Chiropteran either by using their mutagenic blood to convert other lifeforms (the injection of which has led to claims that they are related to vampires as the process is superficially quite similar to vampiric feeding) or by sexually producing other Chiropteran (including new Queens, though this is limited to the Swarm Queens).

It is noted that Chiropteran birthed by Queens develop exceptionally quickly, even more so than is already the norm for this fast growing species. The Chiropterans further claim that the Queens' need for sexual reproduction is a way to allow them to use the randomization of genes that sex offers to prevent the problems of a stagnant gene pool created by their curation of the desirable genetic traits they acquire from converting other lifeforms. A process they massage along by using their abilities to preselect the genes in the reproductive cells whenever they choose to have sex (Which according to Nimue is any time they can get away with it. Apparently, they're a bunch of absolute nymphomaniacs. Something that I wonder might be some kind of response to their near-extinction.), leaving only to chance which set of carefully chosen genes merges with which other set of equally carefully selected set in their offspring. As there is no practical way to definitively test this, seeing as no Queen would submit herself to the tests needed to prove this, we can only trust the Queens on this. Though voluntary genetic sampling of Queen-born Chiropteran suggests that this is indeed the case.

Chevaliers

Chevaliers function as praetorian guards and generals for their Queens. They are created exclusively by conversion via a Queen's mutagenic blood and are generally converted from promising individuals who have caught the eye of their Queens. Through this process Queens not only recruit talented individuals into their retinues but harvests genetic material that the Swarm can use to enhance future generations in the hopes of passing on these talents.

It should be noted that the drive by Queens to do so often leads to them hungering for blood. However, this is more a drive to acquire the potentially valuable genetic material within the blood then to use it as a source of nourishment.

Chevaliers maintain the forms they had before their conversion, however this is merely a disguise allowed by the shapeshifting abilities of their race. In truth they possess a true form that is unique to the individual and reflects their natures.

Like their Queens they have a tendency to possess unique abilities, however they also share all lesser versions of their Queens abilities with the exception of their mutagenic blood and ability to birth other Chiropteran

Viziers

Resembling a Nerubian Vizier from the popular Warcraft franchise, these Chiropteran have a humanoid upper body albeit with a bat-like head and a insectoid lower body with four massive insect-like legs that they use to continually elevate their body off the ground. Little is known about this caste beyond their function as diplomats, scientists, or lesser military officers and that they are the highest caste of Chiropteran to be birthed by Broodmothers.

Broodmothers

Broodmothers as their names suggest are the breeders of the Swarm. While the Queens can rightly be called the mothers of the Hives, it is the Broodmothers who birth the majority of the members in the Swarm.

They are quadrupedal Chiropterans with elongated limbs and grossly distended abdomens with multiple wombs covering their lower bodies. These wombs allow them to birth whole broods via parthenogenesis at a time though their offspring do not develop as quickly as those of a Queen. A further limitation is their inability to birth the highest castes of Chiropterans such as Chevaliers or Queens.

Their biggest difference from the Queens however is that they lack the ability to function as the psychic anchor for other Chiropterans. As such they cannot serve as the basis of new Hives

Warriors

This caste as their name implies are the Chiropterans' frontline troops in any conflict. They are hulking bat-like humanoids with a membranous set of wings that can grow out of their arms to allow them the ability to fly should the need arise.

They are frequently augmented with cybernetics that include integrated weaponry. However, with their superhuman strength, agility and speed plus their hyper accelerated regeneration they are a major threat even without their augmentations even if these abilities are greatly reduced in comparison to the higher caste fellows. Their telepathic connection with the Chiropteran Swarmmind only serves to make them even more dangerous as it means a Warrior can coordinate with its fellows to an unparalleled degree and/or readily call for aid should the need arise.

Selected Warriors, known as Pilots, are also grafted into pieces of Chiropteran hardware, such as ships and fighters, to serve as their command nodes. This practice serves to link the machine directly into the Swarmmind and significantly improves their capabilities. There have been some discussion by a number of races of the feasibility of adopting similar technology. Most disconcertingly, to me at least, this includes the militaries of several countries on Earth.

Workers

These workhorses of the Swarm are child sized Chiropterans with enlarged heads. Their diminutive size seems to have been an adaption to operate in cramped conditions. It does not however reduce their threat level as they tend to attack in large groups and possess all the abilities of the Warriors but in a smaller, reduced package.

Workers are also excellent engineers and scientists, making up the bulk of the Swarm's research and development personnel. Thus it is not uncommon to find Workers laying traps or constructing fortifications if they are forced to engage in combat.

A note on their breeding and threat level

Some might read this entry and believe that the Chiropterans will breed out of control and use their numbers to conquer the galaxy. This is highly unlikely. Despite their hivemind and swarmlike nature which might invoke comparisons with terrifying swarm races from popular media like the Zerg from Starcraft or the Tyranids from Warhammer 40K, they do not truly breed anywhere near what they might be capable of.

To preserve cohesion and prevent another Swarm War, the Chiropterans expand very cautiously. Especially once they begin to reach the limits of the psychic control and the Swarmmind begins to come under strain. In such a scenario, they will shift their reproductive focus wholly towards the production of new higher castes such as Queens, Chevaliers and Viziers which seems to somehow relieve stress on the Swarmmind. However, the rarity of these breeds suggests that their creation requires a significant investment in resources that make their mass production prohibitive. Thus there appears to be a natural limit on their rate of growth.

That said, when conditions are right or the situation desperate enough for them to be reckless about the limits of the psychic strain, they can rapidly outbreed any and all known races. As such, their threat in this regard should never be overlooked.

Politics

One might assume that as a hiveminded race, the Chiropterans would have no politics. However, one needs to consider the fact that no Chiropterans, even the lowliest worker, is truly mindless. Each individual member of the Swarm has a vote in its decision making. Each time a decision is made by the whole Swarm or Hive depending on the circumstance, all its members are polled. In the event of a tie, the Queens who embody the will of the individuals in their charge makes the final decision.

The exact mechanism of how this works is likely impossible to comprehend to non-Chiropterans. What is known is that as a result of this, while still possessing a true hivemind the Chiropterans are still able to form factions as their Queens take actions and issue orders in accordance with their Hive's wills, which may differ from that of other Hives and the greater Swarm. That said, as far as can be observed no direct violation of directives from the Swarm Queens have taken place and any opposition has taken the form of deliberately acting on such imperatives more slowly than other Hives.

The most famous case of such politics was the opposing factions that existed between the Pacifists and Interventionists, who had differing views on whether to attack the Goa'uld Empire. With Hives aligned to the former faction being notorious for their underproduction of military equipment. A course of action that the pacifist Hives would learn to be a mistake at great cost.

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**And done! One more to go!**

**See you there!**


	11. Interlude: The Asgard

**Disclaimer: I don't own Blood+, Harry Potter or Stargate.**

**The Wars of Legends**

**Book 2: Bats Rising**

**Interlude: The Asgard**

**Beta:  
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**Introduction**

Hi there everyone! It's me Hermione again with The Galacticpolitics Blog.

Today we'll be covering the Asgard, so strap yourself in guys and let's take a look at what we know about the friendly neighbourhood little grey men!

**The Asgard**

The Asgard people are an extragalactic race from the Ida galaxy that have proven to be staunch allies to the free peoples of the Milky Way. Despite this little is known about them as unlike most other races, especially allies, their interaction outside of formal affairs are limited. Though it is rumored that Supreme Commander Thor and General Jack O'Neill are close friends. A rumor that Nimue herself confirmed to me, though she seems to find the friendship exasperating. Considering that I have never met either gentlemen I will not pass judgement, however if half the things my friend tells me are true… General O'Neill, please stop corrupting Supreme Commander Thor with your immaturity!

What is known is that they are incredibly righteous and forgiving, having famously even forgiven the Chiropterans despite their losses against them during the Extinction War.

Perhaps most striking about them, at least for Terrans/Tau'ri/people from Earth -We have too many bloody names! Pick one!- is the fact that their bodies bear a striking resemblance to the "Roswell Grays" described in countless UFO stories. Like the fictional "Grays", the Asgard average about one meter in height, have grayish skin tones, small, skinny limbs, large heads and black eyes.

History

Little is known about their history before contemporary times beyond their participation in the Extinction War and the membership in the Four Great Races … _To see more click here_

The Protected Planets Treaty

This was a treaty created between the Asgard and the Goa'uld Empire that was designed to ensure that certain planets remained free from Goa'uld oppression.

It required the Goa'uld System Lords to enforce the treaty on all Goa'uld. In turn, the Asgard may not use their technology to advance a race living on one of the planets, even to prevent a natural disaster. Limits were also placed on the development of the populations of the planet to prevent them from becoming a threat to the Goa'uld. Definition of what constituted a "threat" rested solely with the High Council of System Lords. In case of a disputed claim in regards to a treaty violation, a commission of inquiry including an equal number of Asgard and Goa'uld would be assembled to look into the matter.

The treaty, as can be seen, was heavily biased in favor of the Goa'uld but this was the best the Asgard could enforce on them at the time as they were preoccupied with a losing war against the Replicators back in their home Ida galaxy at the time.

While this original iteration of the treaty is now defunct, a new updated version which expands protection to include all external threats, which lacks restrictions on development and includes more flexible prohibitions on intervention remains in effect. Though enforcement is now largely in the hands of the Chiropteran Swarm and to a lesser extent the broader Coalition of Free Races. It nevertheless serves as one of the most effective ways to ensure that younger races are free to forge their own destiny.

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**Comments (3289)**

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**Bart the Rascal **(Moderator)

I'm pinning this little comment thread because it's glorious. I've archived it all into one post (with some minimal edits) for easy viewing. Hope you guys like it as much as I did.

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**Theeternalwonderer**

Hermione what did you mean when you said that General O'Neill was corrupting Thor?

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**Hermione Granger **(The galaxy's greatest blogger)

Well I've heard quite a few examples from Nimue. Saw a few myself. But I'm going to stick with the one popularly known example just in case the Supreme Commander is in a litigious mood.

You know that viral video of an Asgard walking down the Las Vegas Strip in a top hat and what the internet insists is a pimp cane? Well… That's Thor. Apparently General O'Neill put him up to it.

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**Randombadger **

That was SUPREME COMMANDER THOR!?

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**Hermione Granger **(The galaxy's greatest blogger)

Yup. Worse thing about it? Apparently Thor liked it and the reactions he got both then and later in the media and online. He found it amusing.

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**Ratchet_Rocketeer**

WTF!?

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**Hermione Granger **(The galaxy's greatest blogger)

That was pretty much my reaction. Why do you think I wrote what I did in the OP?

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**Theeternalwonderer**

I'm sorry I asked. My heroes are idiots T_T

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**xXAbyssalxCowboyXx**

Wait! Didn't the Asgard High Council issue a press statement saying that was Loki?

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**Hermione Granger **(The galaxy's greatest blogger)

I know they did. But I trust Nimue when she says it's Thor. Besides, as Supreme Commander Thor once told me himself, whenever an Asgard does something embarrassing it's "always Loki." I guess there's a reason he's portrayed as the god of mischief.

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**UpsideDown)(Monarch **

That explains so much…

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Edit: So yeah some people pointed out that I edited out a whole bunch of net lingo. So sue me! When you get the _**Queen of Storms**_ emailing you _directly _to tell you to do something 'cos she can't read net speak then I'm doing it! I don't wanna die!

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**And it's a wrap!**

**That's it for **_**Bats Rising**_**. Thanks so much for being along for the ride so far. I sincerely hope to see all of you in _The Great War of the Pharoahs_ which should be up shortly after this goes live.**

**Till then, ciao!**


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